


Blood Bonds

by Arionrhod, McKay



Series: The Awakening [2]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Vampire, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-21
Updated: 2017-05-20
Packaged: 2018-11-03 02:19:04
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 10
Words: 50,998
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10957626
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Arionrhod/pseuds/Arionrhod, https://archiveofourown.org/users/McKay/pseuds/McKay
Summary: Beset by obstacles and enemies on all sides, Severus and Remus must find the common ancestor of both vampires and werewolves: Godric Gryffindor himself.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Written in 2009. Content: supernatural but non-HP-magical AU, violence, vampirism with the associated blood-drinking and biting that comes with it.

The mansion had stood for centuries, but no longer; in less than a single hour, something had battered the ancient walls into little more than a pile of stone, littered with dead bodies that looked like bloody, broken toys. Sirius and the group of werewolves with him could only stand and stare in shock, finding the task of slaughter they had thought to carry out for themselves already accomplished by unknown hands. It hadn't been Lucius, for his head lay separated from his body in the midst of the rubble near the shattered remains of a sepulchre. Whoever - or _what_ ever - had occupied it was nowhere to be found.

Unknown to the lycanthropes, while they were set on the invasion of enemy territory, they, in turn, were being invaded. Black clad men armed with high tech assault rifles silently infiltrated the subway tunnels, skillfully avoiding what few living werewolves remained. They moved with purpose, searching amidst the dead bodies of the combatants with obvious purpose. In one chamber, a black body bag was produced, and a set of remains was placed into it; the exercise was repeated in a pool of water in another chamber below. 

Their mission apparently accomplished, the invaders withdrew as silently as they had arrived, leaving no trace of their presence behind.

Thirty minutes later, the bodies they had taken were laid out, side by side, on two metal tables, a position that would have appalled both in life. Never had James, the werewolf, or Voldemort, the vampire, ever thought they would be equal in the eyes of anyone, especially not the man who stood at their feet, one finger stroking his lower lip. His blue eyes were narrowed as he gazed down at the bloody bodies, not unaware of the irony of the situation. Had things not been so grim, he might even have found it amusing.

Unfortunately he had little time for humor, or anything else, given the situation. Moving first to James, he unceremoniously ripped open the werewolf's tattered shirt, staring down at the bronze expanse of his chest. He frowned at not finding what he expected; the werewolf's neck was bare, although a faint, pale circle showed where what he sought had once rested. It was now gone, which made things... complicated. Fortunately, he was a man used to complications; he would deal with it later.

Turning his attention to Voldemort's half-headless corpse, his expression was no longer quite so detached. His regal lips twisted and a flash of hatred showed in his eyes, before he moved a hand to open the throat of the robes Voldemort wore. The vampire was pale, unsurprisingly, but he wasn't interested in anything _on_ Voldemort's body. Instead he reached out to a metal tray and picked up a scalpel, and then, with a skill that seemed at odds with his regal clothing and bearing, he began at the base of Voldemort's throat, cutting downward with a sure, firm stroke. The fingers of his other hand laid aside the skin, and he looked down, searching amidst the tendons and bones for what he sought.

At the base of the vampire's sternum, he found it: a thick, round metal plate with an odd shaped impression in it. A grim smile curved his mouth, and he wasted no time in cutting the device from where it had rested for centuries. Task accomplished, he held the object in one bloody hand and moved toward the door of the room.

He had only half the key, but he would soon have the rest. Although for a man as old as he was, something as long as a century might be classified as "soon".

~*~*~*~*~*~


	2. Chapter 2

Somewhere, outside the secure walls and locked door of the safe house, a wolf howled.

Severus tensed automatically, ears straining to hear the subtle nuances in the sound that would tell him if it was being made by a natural wolf or a lycanthrope. It could be either, given that it was the night of the full moon and there were still plenty of werewolves on the loose, despite the carnage of the previous night. After the invasion of their base, they would be agitated and spoiling for a fight, but for once, Severus had no desire to get involved in combat, either for protection or sport. No doubt generations of Death Eaters were rolling in their hypothetical graves over that, but Severus no longer cared. For better or worse, the vampire clan he had spent centuries protecting was no longer his haven, and the mansion where they lived was no longer a place he could call home.

The reason for that was currently snuggled in his arms, snoring gently. Severus' lips quirked in wry amusement, even as he trailed his hands slowly over the smooth expanse of Remus' bare back, enjoying the sensation of Remus' skin against his palms. _Living_ skin, flushed with life and warm from the blood pumping beneath it, driven by the steady rhythm of Remus' heart. By rights, Severus should hate the man he held so closely, but he didn't; he _couldn't_ , not when Remus meant more to him than his own life. Odd, that in the space of only a few short days Severus had found the love of his life, almost lost him to a werewolf attack, had watched him almost die yet again at the hands of another vampire, then, strangest of all, had bitten him and watched him transform into something that was neither vampire or lycanthrope, but a unique and unheard of mixture of both. After over six hundred years of life proceeding in a perfectly normal, rational way, Severus' world had been ripped apart, shattered, and changed in ways he never could have imagined, and all because of Remus.

Bending his head, Severus closed his eyes and inhaled the scent of Remus' skin, musky in the aftermath of their lovemaking. Despite his dual transformations and the mixture of lycanthrope and vampire blood in his veins, Remus was still a living being, capable of dozing off from exhaustion, a sleep quite different from a vampire's need to sleep out the daylight hours. But now it was night, and as much as Severus wanted to stay in the bed and hold Remus, he couldn't afford the time. Not until they were both assured of safety, and that, unfortunately, meant returning to the mansion and making certain that Lucius was put down for eternity.

"Wake up," he murmured, his mouth close to Remus' ear. "It's time for us to go."

Remus frowned and made a noise of sleepy protest, and he burrowed closer to Severus. "Don't wanna."

Snorting, Severus trailed his hand lower, then gave Remus a small swat on the backside. "If it were up to me, I'd let you stay here all night, disturbing you only to shag you senseless. But we have things to do and vampires to slay."

The noise Severus got in response was equal parts drowsy and grumpy, but Remus disengaged from the embrace, sat up, and knuckled his eyes like a sleepy toddler. "Okay, I'm getting up, but only because it means I get to help you kill Lucius."

It had been centuries since Severus had thought that anything could be adorable, if, indeed, he ever had. But that was the only word that came to mind to describe the sight of Remus, his face flushed and hair tousled, looking like a cranky child. Of course compared to Severus, Remus _was_ a child, at least in age, but that didn't stop Severus from moving swiftly, pushing Remus back down into the pillows and pinning him to the mattress. 

"Brat," he murmured, but there was no heat in the word and his dark eyes held amusement and affection in equal measure. "No doubt you'd like a spanking, but I think I'll do this instead."

With that, he dug his fingers into Remus' ribs and began to tickle him. To his satisfaction, Remus let out a high-pitched yelp and started flailing and rolling in a desperate attempt to escape.

"No tickling!" Remus gasped. "I'm awake! I swear!"

Severus relented, his hands stroking soothingly over Remus' skin. "You're going to drive me mad, I can tell," he murmured, pressing his lips to Remus' forehead. "At least it will make the next few centuries interesting."

Remus stopped thrashing and wrapped his arms around Severus, smiling. "I hope I won't drive you mad in the bad way," he murmured, sliding his hands down the length of Severus' back to grope his backside. "Only in the good way. The best way."

"Definitely in a good way," Severus agreed, kissing Remus' smile. He resisted the urge to take their play to the next level, knowing that if he did, they never would make it out of the bed, and the longer they put off dealing with Lucius, the better prepared Lucius would be. With a sigh, he rolled to the side, giving Remus a regretful look. "I'd much rather be here with you than having anything to do with Lucius, but I want this done and over. I want to be through with the lie I lived for all those years and start making a life of my own choosing. _Our_ own choosing. I want to be... free."

"I want that for you, too," Remus replied, sitting up again and gazing down at Severus with warm affection. "After centuries of servitude, you've more than earned the right to live life on your own terms."

Reaching up, Severus trailed his fingers over Remus' cheek. "So long as you don't mind that my terms include you, that's fine." With a smooth movement, Severus sat up and rolled to his feet, stretching his arms over his head. He tilted his head to one side and regarded Remus seriously. "We should feed before we head back. We're both in need after everything we went through last night, you especially. I suspect you'll need the blood, especially with the new vampiric aspects to your nature."

Remus wrinkled his nose with obvious distaste. "But I'm part werewolf, too. Maybe I don't need blood. I'm not hungry right now, anyway."

Severus lifted a brow at that, but he had no real reason to argue the point. Remus was a hybrid, after all; perhaps he wouldn't need blood to sustain him. "All right," he said, crossing to the small ice box and removing two bags of the blood substitute kept on hand for the occupants. He downed them quickly, feeling strength flowing back into his body, rejuvenating him and healing any lingering injuries. After tossing the empty bags in a bin, he turned, walking toward the chair where he'd put his clothing the previous night, reaching for the soft cotton shirt he preferred to wear under his armor. 

"It will be interesting, discovering what your abilities are," he said quietly. "There's never been anything or anyone like you before. Your powers could be beyond imagination."

Remus watched Severus dress for a moment before finally throwing back the covers and rolling out of bed himself. "Could be," he agreed. "Although they won't be worth much if I don't know how to use them. I'm still a terrible fighter," he added with a self-deprecating smile.

"I'll still teach you," Severus promised, taking up his leather trousers and slipping into them, pulling them up over his narrow hips. "I know more about fighting and killing than you could learn in a dozen lifetimes. Armed, unarmed, improvised weapons... you name it." He looked pensive, then shrugged. "Most of my techniques are best for killing lycanthropes, but we'll have to be prepared to protect ourselves from all comers. I have no doubt that Lucius won't be the last enemy we face, but hopefully we'll have time to get away and establish a haven for ourselves before anyone else comes hunting for us."

"Who else would come after us?" Remus asked as he began to dress in fresh clothes from the safe house closet, giving Severus' hips and backside an appreciative look in-between pulling on and fastening his own jeans. "I thought once we got rid of Lucius, we'd be home free."

"I'm a vampire, and you're like nothing else. Unless we manage to drop off the radar, so to speak, I have no doubt someone or something will come looking for us, eventually," Severus said, giving a slight shrug. "Perhaps I'm being a bit paranoid, but I believe in being prepared, and not sugar coating anything. The only battle that matters, you know, is the one you lose. So you have to make certain that you're prepared so that you never, ever face that situation."

"No harm in being a little paranoid if it keeps us both alive for a good, long time," Remus agreed amiably. He finished dressing and heaved a little sigh. "The first thing I want to do when this is over is get a new jacket. The werewolves took mine when they captured me," he said with a grimace. "I _loved_ that jacket."

Severus fastened the chest plate of his armor, then moved so that he could wrap his arms around Remus. "If you love it that much, we could go back and get it," he said, a gleam of amusement in his eyes. "It would be good practice for the whole fighting thing."

Chuckling, Remus slid his arms around Severus' neck and pressed as close as the body armor would allow. "Let's take care of Lucius first, and then we'll see about rescuing my jacket," he said. "As much as I love it, I can live without it a few more hours. Maybe."

"Well we can't have you expiring for want of a jacket," Severus said. He released Remus, then snagged his own coat off the back of the chair. "Here, take mine." With a smirk, he lifted a brow. "If you think you can look bad-ass enough in it."

"I doubt I'll live up to your level of bad-assery, but I'll do my best," Remus replied with a somber expression but a mischievous gleam in his eyes. He accepted the coat and shrugged into it, and then he gathered the lapels in both hands and brought them up to his nose, inhaling deeply. "Smells like you," he murmured, smiling as if pleased about being enfolded in Severus' scent. He held his arms out by his sides and spun, making the tail of the coat swirl and billow dramatically. "How's that? Bad-ass enough to deserve borrowing it?"

"Enough, yes... we'll work on it along with everything else," Severus said, waving a hand. He liked seeing Remus in his coat; he couldn't remember anyone ever borrowing his clothing before, and he rather fancied the intimacy of the gesture. 

Crossing to the other side of the small room, Severus opened a locker, exposing an array of guns, knives, grenades, and other assorted implements of destruction of less obvious origin. He pulled out two handguns, tucking them into the thigh holsters of his trousers, and then he picked up a sawed off shotgun with a belt-feed. He returned to Remus, holding it out. "You don't have to be accurate with this, just be careful not to aim it anywhere near me. Whatever is in its path will disintegrate. Not subtle, but effective, and you can carry it in the coat."

Remus took the gun with less trepidation than he had the first time Severus had handed him a weapon. "I'll be careful," he promised. "Anything else I need to know before we go in?"

"Stay close to me, and do not try to put yourself between me and danger," Severus replied, his expression stern. "We don't know your powers, and I have little doubt that they are probably more rawly formidable than mine, but you don't know them yet, so I'm on point. Lucius is not much of a fighter, but he can be treacherous, as you have seen, and he won't hesitate to strike given the opportunity. Other than that..." He paused, wondering if he should say anything, but then deciding to be up front. "There is only one vampire whose friendship means anything to me, and he might not even be there, given that Lucius betrayed one of his last remaining family members and got her killed two nights ago. If he is there, he's likely after Lucius himself. Anyway, if you see a vampire with long, curly black hair and very pale blue eyes, dressed and armed like me, it's my friend Regulus. I'd rather that you didn't blow him away, if possible."

"Regulus... Was he the lover you told me about?" Remus asked, although Severus didn't see any hint of jealousy in his face or eyes. Not that he would have lied, anyway, but he was relieved Remus seemed to feel secure.

"Yes," he said. "It was over between us over a century ago, but he is a friend; he always has been, actually. He's from a family who has always had members become vampires; it's considered an honor. He was chosen over his older brother, and that brother joined the werewolves in retaliation. If there is anyone who hates the lycanthropes more than I did, it is Regulus; but he won't harm you, once he knows you are with me."

"I hope you're right about that." Remus busied himself with stowing the shotgun in his coat, and then he looked up at Severus with a reassuring smile. "He's important to you, so I'll keep an eye out for him. If I see anyone who fits the description, I'll ask questions first and shoot later." He moved close to Severus again and rested one hand at Severus' hip. "It wouldn't matter to me if things had been over between you for a century or a week. I know he's no threat to me." He craned up and kissed Severus lightly. "He isn't warm."

Severus chuckled, cradling Remus' cheek in his hand and returning the kiss. "No, that he's not," he affirmed. He looked deeply into Remus eyes. "Nor is he a threat to you, you're correct. And if you feel your life is in danger, don't hesitate to shoot, whether you think it might be Regulus or not. Don't take chances. As much as I value him as a friend, I value you even more, and I'd recover from his death far better than from yours. Do you understand me? Shoot first if threatened, because if you are, there won't be time for questions, because Regulus certainly wouldn't hesitate to kill _you_ if I'm not there."

Leaning into the touch, Remus gazed at him with unabashed adoration. "I understand," he said. "I won't do anything careless or stupid to get myself killed if I can help it. I want that forever with you too much."

No one had ever looked at Severus that way in his life, not even his parents or his sister, whom he knew had loved him dearly. It made him feel warm in ways nothing else did, and with a soft growl, he pushed Remus back against the wall and pinned him there, capturing his lips in a deep, fierce kiss. 

After a few moments, he pulled back, staring down at Remus with a heated gleam in his eyes. "When you look at me like that, I can't be held responsible for my actions," he murmured huskily. "Let's go kill Lucius so that I can get you back here and shag you through the mattress."

"Sounds like a plan to me," Remus said, sounding breathless. "Then I'll be happy to look at you like that again and take my chances."

"I'll hold you to it." With that, Severus stepped back, taking Remus' hand and pulling him toward the door. "Business before pleasure, unfortunately. Let's get this over with so we can get on with more pleasant tasks."

Within two minutes, they were strapped into the car, and Severus turned it back toward the clan's mansion, setting a speed that would have been dangerous for a mortal without vampiric reaction times. The moon, full and silver, was riding high in the sky, the thin, fast-moving clouds dimming it from time to time but never obscuring its light. It shone down the entire way back to the mansion, and it was under that cold illumination that Severus pulled through the iron gates and brought the car to a stop as he stared out in stunned disbelief at the stone ruins that, only a night before, had been a formidable mansion.

Opening his door, Severus stepped out of the car, needing to see the sight without even the windscreen's interference. But it changed nothing; the mansion was now nothing but a jagged jumble of stones and broken glass, and the scent of death was so heavy on the air that Severus had to clutch the roof of the car to keep from reeling. He'd seen battles, and he'd killed, but never had he gazed upon destruction of this magnitude, and he knew instinctively that few of the vampires who had been inside had escaped.

He was vaguely aware of the sound of the passenger door opening and closing, and a moment later, he felt Remus' hand on his back, offering silent comfort.

"I'm sorry," Remus said softly. "I know this was your home, and these were your people. And your belongings, your books..." He trailed off and fell silent for a time. "Do you think Lucius did this as some kind of retaliation because he failed?" he asked.

Numbly, Severus shook his head. "No." There was no doubt in his voice, even though his mind was racing, trying to accept the sight before him and find some possible cause. "Lucius isn't powerful enough. It's like an army came through, except there isn't anything burning." Suddenly his eyes widened, and he glanced at Remus. "Gellert! Our last elder was in there!" With that he took off running toward the ruins, needing to find out, needing to know for certain if Gellert was dead.

The sound of running footsteps behind him let him know that Remus was following, able to keep up with ease now, which was a relief because Severus didn't want to slow down or wait for him to catch up.

"What happens if he's dead too?" Remus asked as he kept pace with Severus, not even breathing hard.

"I wish I knew," Severus replied. He gathered himself and leapt over a ruined wall, ignoring the gore-splattered, dismembered body he passed on the other side. He knew the mansion well enough that even in its current state he could orient himself on the awakening chamber, and when he arrived, he stopped, staring in disbelief at the shattered, empty remains of the crypt which had contained the body of the senior vampire elder.

"He's gone," Severus said, walking slowly around the fractured container. He frowned, then looked at Remus. "I am not certain whether to be relieved or afraid."

Remus peered into the container with visible curiosity. "So that's where the elders were?" he asked. "Was it like hibernation?"

"In a way, yes. They went into a state of torpor for two centuries at a time, so we had only one awake. I suppose they got bored." Severus shook his head, then turned his attention away from the crypt and to the rest of the destroyed room. The moonlight glinted on something shiny, and Severus moved quickly, stopping as he saw exactly what it was - Lucius' blond hair, clumped and matted with blood. Which wasn't surprising, given that his head had been severed from his body.

"I think we can definitively say that Lucius didn't do this," he said quietly. "I find myself almost disappointed - not that he's dead, but that I didn't get to do it."

Remus moved to stand beside him and gazed dispassionately down at Lucius' remains. "Oh, well. At least it means we don't have to worry he'll cause trouble for us. But if he didn't do this - and obviously, he didn't - then who did? Who would go so far as to kill him and destroy the mansion?"

"I'm not certain," Severus said. His expression was thoughtful as he looked around, and he pointed to the rest of Lucius' body, halfway across the room. "Something strong, obviously. I don't know if Gellert escaped, but he didn't seem to die here. Regardless, I think we should go. I don't want to be caught out if whatever it is comes back."

"Good idea," Remus agreed, nodding vehemently; he didn't appear squeamish about the grisly scene, but obviously he didn't care to linger either. "Do you want to check to see if any of your things are salvageable before we leave? We can be quick about it."

Severus was torn; many of the items he had possessed were unique, irreplaceable. And yet they were in an unknown amount of danger lingering here, and Remus was the most unique and irreplaceable part of his life. One he couldn't risk.

"No," he said firmly, not needing to second guess the decision. "A new life, a new beginning - I don't need the baggage. As long as I have you, I am content. Let's go."

That earned him another one of Remus' adoring looks, but there was no time to act on it, and it was a brief one, gone as Remus clasped his hand and squeezed it before heading back the way they'd come in. "I don't smell anything nearby," Remus volunteered. "Just a lot of blood. I don't smell any vampires. Not living ones, anyway." He glanced at Severus sympathetically. "Maybe your friend got out."

"Perhaps." Severus thought that if anyone could have escaped it would have been Regulus - if, indeed, he had even come back after going to check on Bellatrix and wasn't lying dead next to his cousin. He squeezed Remus' hand. "There is nothing I can do about it now, unfortunately, so I'll just have to hope. But you realize we have a new problem. Lucius isn't the end of our troubles now. There is something even worse out there, and I'm afraid we need to find out what it is."

Remus' features crumpled with disappointment, and he sighed wryly. "I should've known it wouldn't be that easy. Can we at least stop for a burger first? I'm starting to get hungry now."

"Oh?" Severus was surprised at that, but he nodded, then released Remus' hand so that Remus could get into the passenger side of the car. He was looking at Remus when it seemed that a shadow blocked out the moon, but when he glanced up, there was nothing. Still he felt a sudden, intense desire to be gone, and he slid quickly into the seat and turned the key, starting the engine and putting the car in gear. When Remus was inside and buckled, Severus spun the car quickly, heading back toward the iron gates which now would protect nothing. He supposed he should do something about the place, at least set a fire to burn the bodies so that the mortal authorities didn't find them, but he felt it was more dangerous to draw that kind of attention right now, when the sun would hopefully take care of it as soon as it rose.

They reached the road, and he raised a brow. "Where to, then? You'll have to tell me what you want. I've not had food as you think of it in hundreds of years, so I can't be relied upon for recommendations."

"I'm craving a rare steak," Remus replied. "But I don't suppose we have time for that. Anyplace with golden arches or that calls itself royalty will be fine. If I can't have a steak, a nice, big, juicy burger will do."

Severus snorted at that. "You know, we used to drink the blood of cattle before we had blood substitute," he said conversationally, glancing at Remus with an evil smile. They were still in danger, and he had no illusions about them being able to find and eliminate whatever had destroyed the clan with any ease, but at least they were together, and that was enough, for now.

~*~*~*~*~*~


	3. Chapter 3

When they pulled up in front of the fast-food place, Remus could scarcely wait to get out of the car and run inside. As soon as he opened the car door, he could smell the cooking meat and the grease, and it made his stomach growl. He hadn't been all that hungry before, but he'd started feeling pangs when they were in the mansion, which had struck him as odd. Considering the death and destruction they'd seen, he ought to have been put off food for a while; he'd become desensitized to an extent during his time as a med student and intern, but not completely, and the particularly gory cases still had been able to make him put off his next meal for a while.

But right now, he was starving, and he didn't waste any time heading for the entrance, pausing only to glance back at Severus. "Are you coming in?" he asked. "If you've never been in one of these places, it could be a learning experience," he added teasingly.

Severus had exited the car when Remus did, although he stood by it, frowning in suspicion at the place as though he thought it was doubtful at best and possibly dangerous as well. Then he nodded, his mouth set in a determined line as he strode toward Remus. "I don't know what is more dangerous for you, fighting werewolves or risking your life ingesting this bilge, but it's your choice. I'd best come along to save you from yourself."

Chuckling, Remus pushed open the door and held it for Severus. "That's the real tragedy of your life," he said as he headed for the counter. "You were born too soon to know the joys of a hamburger, fries, and soda."

Trailing along in Remus' wake, Severus glanced around the brightly lit restaurant, his dark eyes narrowed. "My last meal as a human was probably boiled turnips and some sort of game meat charred over a fire," he replied, his voice low-pitched so that only Remus could hear it. "From the smell, I don't think this is much better."

"It's _much_ better than boiled turnips," Remus murmured, and he flashed a quick grin at Severus. "There are also public bathrooms. I don't suppose you've ever had sex in one of those before either."

Remus had the satisfaction of seeing Severus look surprised, and then faintly shocked. "I should say not," he said, then he looked at Remus narrowly. "Unless that is an invitation?"

Remus gave Severus an arch look as he took his place in line and fished his wallet out of his back pocket. "It's definitely an invitation," he said. "Maybe after I've satisfied one hunger, we can satisfy another. I mean, we aren't in any immediate danger of being attacked by whatever big nasty is lurking around. Not in _here_."

"I would hope not," Severus replied, although he looked around again, his posture sliding into one that spoke of a readiness to attack if it became necessary. Then he looked back at Remus, giving a slight smirk. "How fast can you eat that swill? I am intrigued to find out what the attraction is about a public bathroom."

Remus felt the now-familiar tightening of arousal, which seemed even more intense now just like everything else, at Severus' words, and when he spoke, his voice was deeper and husky. "Fast," he promised. "Very fast." Despite his bravado, he'd never had sex in a public bathroom either, but he was eager to experience it with Severus, who seemed to bring out his lustiest, naughtiest urges like no one else ever had.

When they reached the front of the line, he placed his order, and fortunately, they were quick about filling his tray; everything smelled delicious to his newly sensitive nose, and he was salivating as he picked up the tray and carried it to a relatively private booth.

"I'd offer you a bite if I could," he said, unwrapping the double stack hamburger. "This really does beat turnips all to hell."

Severus made a face and shook his head. "All things considered, I'm just as glad that I _can't_ eat that," he muttered. Severus seemed a bit on edge, craning up to look out of the booth. Apparently satisfied that they weren't in danger, at least for the moment, he settled down, although there was still a certain tension to his shoulders. "And I rather liked turnips, as I recall."

"Incorrigible," Remus said, giving him a fondly affectionate look. He'd never been so inclined to ridiculously besotted looks before, but none of his former lovers had been anything like Severus; they'd never made him feel anything remotely like Severus did, and he couldn't seem to keep his emotions from showing on his face.

For now, however, he abandoned conversation in favor of eating, and he bit into his hamburger hungrily, wanting to tear into it like it was the cow itself, not the processed beef remains. He'd devoured half the burger and had turned his attention to the fries before his stomach began to rebel, hunger pangs turning into queasiness with unsettling speed.

He dropped the fries and sat back, hoping the sudden nausea was the result of eating too quickly and putting greasy food in an empty stomach. "Sorry," he said, offering an apologetic smile. "I need a little break. It's not settling too well in my stomach."

"Is that so?" Severus asked, his attention suddenly focused on Remus' face. He must not have liked what he saw, for he muttered an obscenity under his breath and stood quickly, moving to Remus' side and bodily pulling him to his feet. "I was afraid of this. Outside. Now." With that, he whisked Remus back through the restaurant and out the door, stepping beyond the vehicles in front to a grassy area on the side. Keeping an arm around Remus' waist, he glanced about. "How are you now?"

Remus wanted to say he was feeling better, that he was totally fine and the fresh air was doing him some good, but a wave of nausea overwhelmed him, and he whirled away from Severus and emptied his stomach on the grass. It was worse somehow than the times he'd vomited due to illness or too much alcohol; he felt as if something was _wrong_ , and his entire body was wracked with shudders until his stomach stopped spasming.

He straightened slowly and wiped his mouth. "I guess I should have gone on the liquid diet after all," he said shakily.

Severus was there behind him, a hand on his back and an expression of wry sympathy on his face. "I think we all go through that at least once - a sort of last grasp at a familiar link to our mortality," he said. "Even I did it. I was hoping you might be spared the discomfort."

"I just thought..." Remus grimaced, hating the taste in his mouth, signaling as it did the end of his normal life. The final nail in the coffin, so to speak, although he didn't much care for that analogy at the moment. "I _hoped_ the werewolf side of me would allow me to eat like a normal person," he said quietly.

Everything had happened so quickly over the past few days, and he hadn't really had the chance to sort through it all or deal with it; he'd barely been able to process all of the changes he'd undergone, but the simple realization that he would never be able to eat his favorite foods again brought reality crashing down on him. He was different. No longer human. The harried life of an intern seemed like a boring, blissful heaven compared to the life he'd been thrust into involuntarily, and he yearned to be ignorant and blind to the supernatural dangers of the world once more.

He drew in a shuddery breath and forced himself to straighten. He couldn't afford to indulge in a breakdown at the moment; if Severus was right and some kind of Big Bad had slaughtered the vampires, then they weren't safe. They needed to know what happened and what caused it, and having hysterics over not being able to eat hamburgers ever again would only cause an unnecessary delay.

"Sorry," he added, smiling wryly at Severus. "I had a little wobble for a minute there, but I'm all right. Let's go. We've got a big nasty to catch, right?"

"In a moment." Severus stood facing him, showing no sign of revulsion or distaste. He reached out a hand, trailing his fingers down Remus' cheek, then the side of his neck, before brushing open the collar of the black coat. His hand finally came to rest on the amulet at Remus' throat, the one James had worn for centuries, although his dark eyes never left Remus'. "It is never easy to leave your life behind; not even for those of us who went willingly into the darkness, and more so for those who are carried into it against their will. You are changed forever, losing much which was familiar and comfortable, even some things which brought you joy. There is nothing I can say or do to bring back what you have lost, but I can assure you, there are... compensations. You've not gotten to experience most of the benefits of being an immortal yet." His lips quirked, his dark eyes holding a flash of heat. "Well, except for one part. But there are others, things which will help make up for what you can no longer have. It may not seem like much now, but in time you will know."

"I'm sure I will," Remus replied, mustering a smile. He appreciated Severus' reassurance, and it _was_ good to know he wasn't the only one who had gone through this experience. "I'm not a pessimist by nature, but this weird, random thing made everything hit me at once. Probably because I haven't had any time to deal with all the changes. I've been too busy being chased, drugged, or fighting for my life," he added with a slight shrug.

"Or getting your brains shagged out by your sexy vampire lover," Severus said tartly. He moved his hand away, and the moonlight gleamed on the pendant. Then the moonlight dimmed, as it had before, and Severus whirled, glancing up at the sky; but once more, the face of the moon was bright and clear and he turned back to Remus with a frown.

"Did you see someth-" 

Remus felt a rush of air and the rake of talons across his chest, and before his conscious mind could process what was happening, his newly-quickened reflexes kicked in; he leaped backwards, stumbled, and hit the ground, the furious shriek of whatever had attacked him resounding in his ears. He looked up to see a creature unlike anything he'd ever seen before hovering over him; it was humanoid, but it had leathery wings like a bat, and its face was bestial, complete with a mouth full of razor-sharp fangs.

"What the hell is _that_?" he yelped even as he rolled to his feet and took a defensive stance beside Severus, fear galvanizing him into swift action.

Severus' face was a stone mask even as he reached for his guns. "It's dead, that's what it is," he said harshly, pointing his weapons at the thing, which was wheeling around to come at them again. "Time for the gun." With that, he began to fire.

 _Gun! Oh, right!_ Remus belatedly remembered he had a weapon too, and he drew the shotgun out of his coat, prepared to help Severus fight off the thing, whatever it was. It snarled as it swooped down again, ignoring Severus in favor of bearing down on Remus, its taloned claws outstretched; it flew in an evasive pattern, and even though Severus had said accuracy didn't matter as much with the shotgun, Remus didn't want to waste a shot if he couldn't hit the thing, and by the time he had a good line of sight, it was too close, reaching out to swipe at him again, howling with what sounded like frustrated rage when he jumped back and evaded its grasp.

Severus muttered a string of profanities as he squeezed of a series of shots, all of which seemed to find their target, although there appeared to be little affect. "This isn't working. We need to get out of here," he said, turning as the creature wheeled and headed back toward them. "Back toward the car!"

Remus obeyed immediately and made a break for the passenger side door, yanking it open and diving in. First, vampires, werewolves, and giant snakes; now flying freaks. When they had more than five minutes where they weren't being attacked by something, Remus intended to ask Severus for a full list of things he could expect to encounter in this wild new world he lived in.

The creature shrieked, an unearthly sound, as it made a bee-line straight for the car, ignoring Severus completely despite the continued hail of bullets. It landed in front of the car, hissing at Remus through the windshield, wings spread to show off the sharp talons. There were talons on its fingers, too, and the sharpness of them was demonstrated as it dug its fingers into the hood of the car and yanked, ripping the heavy metal off as though it were little more than tissue paper. 

"No!" Severus shouted, running toward the car. When he was only a few feet away he stopped, his eyes widening in stunned recognition as he apparently got a good look at the creature's distorted, bat-like features. "Gellert! Gellert, stop!"

There wasn't enough room in the car for Remus to maneuver the shotgun, which left him few options other than flattening himself against the seat and praying he wasn't about to end up like the hood of the car. He could feel the familiar prickle under his skin that preceded a transformation, which he guessed was brought on by the high levels of stress and adrenaline he was experiencing, but he didn't want to transform; he didn't want to become that big blue freak-thing again, even if it meant getting torn to shreds by _this_ big freak-thing.

He could hear Severus shouting, and his fear for his life was interrupted by shock when he realized Severus was calling out a name. "You _know_ this thing?"

Severus spared a glance at Remus, nodding once. "It's the last of the vampire lords," he said, before walking forward slowly. He stopped firing the guns, but he didn't lower them, and the creature turned its head to look at him. "Gellert, please..."

"Voldemort's little pet," the creature, apparently Gellert, replied in a scathing tone. "What treachery are you about now?" He turned toward Severus, taking a step in his direction. 

"No treachery. Voldemort is dead." Severus' voice was surprisingly calm, and he stepped backward slowly. "The mansion... did you do that?"

"I killed them all! They were loyal to _him_ ," Gellert spat. He flapped his huge wings, sending out a gust of air that actually made Severus stagger. "No more!"

With that, Gellert moved with blinding speed, closing the distance between himself and Severus and lashing out with a claw. Severus had no time to block, or perhaps his intent was actually to draw Gellert's attention from Remus; either way, the blow connected, and Severus was hurled back several feet and knocked on his arse.

The sight of Severus being tossed around filled Remus with protective fury, and he shoved the car door open, snarling as he climbed out and lifted the shotgun. He didn't take time to think or second-guess himself; he aimed and fired - and exulted over the gaping, bleeding hole he managed to blast in one of Gellert's wings.

Gellert threw back his head and howled with shock and pain, much to Remus' fierce satisfaction, but his triumph was short-lived, cut short when Gellert turned on him, lunging forward and grabbing at him again. Gellert curled his clawed fingers as if trying to capture something, and realization clicked into place.

The pendant. Every time Gellert had gone after him and reached for him - reached for the pendant - but the thought had no sooner popped in Remus' head when Gellert snarled and swiped at him again, this time aiming to hurt, not to steal, and he was shocked by the burning pain of Gellert's talons raking across his vulnerable midsection, digging deep.

Behind Gellert Remus was vaguely aware of Severus rolling to his feet, the guns coming up once again. There were people screaming, but sound was drowned out by the blasts from Severus' guns. Gellert shrieked this time as the bullets dug into him, and Remus saw that they were glowing; apparently Severus had switched out his bullets for some of the vampire slaying rounds the werewolves had been using. These seemed to at least make an impression on Gellert, and he snarled in rage before turning and running out into the darkness.

For a moment, Severus looked as though he might pursue, but then he looked at Remus, and Remus saw his eyes widen. "Shit," he said, moving quickly toward Remus and sliding an arm around his waist. "You need blood, and fast... but I have to get you somewhere safe first."

Remus glanced down at himself and immediately wished he hadn't. It wasn't that he hadn't seen wounds of the same type and severity before; he simply hadn't seen them on _himself_ , and he could have gone the rest of his life without seeing that much of his own blood soaking his clothes.

"The car is wrecked," he said, glancing back at the smashed-in hood with regret. "What do you plan to do? Steal one?"

"Yes." Severus wasted no time on niceties, half-carrying Remus toward the nearest vehicle, a big pickup truck. He opened the passenger side door and lifted Remus in, then dashed around to the driver's side.

"Hey, man, that's my truck!" A big, burly man with tattoos up his bare arms walked up to Severus, apparently ready to fight him for the truck. Severus, however, simply punched the man in the face, then bent over his fallen form. In a moment, he held up a set of keys, then climbed into the truck and started the engine. 

"We'll get a distance away so that Gellert can't come after us," he said, throwing the truck into reverse and making the tires squeal on the pavement. Then they were surging forward, speeding off down the road and leaving the restaurant behind.

Remus slumped against the seat and pressed both hands against his midsection, feeling lightheaded; when he dared to peek, he could see the long gashes were beginning to knit together already, but it was a slow process, and he'd already lost a great deal of blood. Severus was right: he needed blood. Somehow, he suspected Severus didn't mean a transfusion.

"He'll be back," he murmured, closing his eyes. Watching the tree-shaped air freshener dangling from the rear view mirror was making him queasy. "He wants the pendant."

"What?" Severus glanced at him briefly, frowning in confusion. "How do you know that?"

"Educated guess," Remus replied, rolling his head on the back of the seat so he could look at Severus. "It occurred to me that he was targeting me, not you, and not both of us, and every time he went for me, it was like he was grabbing at me rather than attacking. Well, until that last time," he added with a wry smile. "I think he was trying to get the pendant."

"I see." Severus seemed to mull that over. "The question is why would a vampire elder, the oldest of us all, want a pendant worn by a werewolf?"

Remus sighed, seeing all hope of retiring to a nice, quiet, monster-less place where they could spend the nights happily shagging and not getting in fights with supernatural beings who wanted to kill them go flying out the window. "I don't know," he said. "But I suspect we'd better find out before he comes back for round two."

"Yes." Severus' hands tightened on the steering wheel. He glanced at Remus again. "Save your strength. We're coming up into a warehouse district. I'll find an anonymous enough looking one for us to hole up in."

"And then what?" Remus asked, feeling a twinge of apprehension. "I didn't see you stash any of those blood substitute bags in your pocket to snack on, so what do you plan to do?"

"Don't worry, I'll take care of it," Severus replied. He turned off the road, then maneuvered the truck between several buildings. He stopped in front of a plain grey building with a corrugated metal door set in one side, then turned and looked at Remus sternly. "Stay here, don't move."

Severus stepped out of the truck and walked to the door. He crouched, then lifted, the door rising with a shriek of protesting metal. Returning to the truck, he got back in without comment, then drove the truck into the opening, parking it and turning off the ignition. "This ought to be safe enough for a bit."

"We shouldn't keep this truck for long," Remus said. "The owner probably called the police to report it stolen as soon as he woke up. We'll need to leave it somewhere and wipe off our fingerprints. Maybe we should leave it somewhere it'll be found easily." He was speaking quickly, almost babbling, as if he could stave off whatever Severus was about to suggest if he talked enough. He wouldn't have turned up his nose at one of those bags of blood now, especially since he suspected he would like what was coming even less.

"Do you honestly think _my_ fingerprints are in any file in existence?" Severus seemed grimly amused. "Or that we have anything to fear from mortal authorities? You'll learn soon enough. Now stay there and I'll come around to get you."

Lights, probably on a motion sensor, had come up when they'd entered, and Severus exited the truck again, lowered the door back down on its track, bent where the metal had buckled and given under the onslaught of vampiric strength. Then he was at Remus' door, opening it and easily lifting down, setting him on his feet but still supporting most of his weight.

The warehouse they were in was full of crates, and Severus glanced at them briefly. "We're in luck; it seems this is a clothing importer." He led Remus to a crate, lowering him down so he could sit. Then he sat next to Remus, his expression serious. "Don't be alarmed, all right? You need this." He raised his arm, pulling back his sleeve and pressing his thumbnail against his wrist. A line of red appeared, and he held out his arm to Remus. "Drink."

Remus drew back, his conscious mind recoiling from the idea of drinking blood at all, much less the blood of another being; something dark and hungry within him perked up with interest and urged him to grab Severus' arm and bring it to his mouth. He could smell Severus' blood, and it smelled so _good_ , even better than the hamburger and fries. 

"I - I don't think I can," he murmured, even as he stared at the rivulet of blood, showing up so vivid against Severus' pale skin.

Severus didn't reply. He simply reached out, fastening his free hand on the back of Remus' neck and holding him firmly as he raised his bleeding wrist up and pressed it hard against Remus' lips. Severus' blood seeped into Remus' mouth, and as soon as he got a taste, his hunger flared. He moaned a protest, but the need of his new inner monster overruled his rational objections, and he felt his teeth growing longer and sharper, and he _bit_ , his fangs sinking into Severus' flesh easily as he began to drink. 

A sharp hiss escaped Severus' lips, although the sound didn't seem to be one of pain, nor did he flinch away. "Take as much as you need," he murmured. "You need your strength."

Despite the overwhelming urges of his vampire half, Remus was determined to remain in control, and he drew away as soon as he began to feel better, the lightheaded feeling and weakness receding. He wiped his mouth, relieved when he felt the fangs receding as well. 

"That's enough," he murmured, glancing away. He felt unaccountably odd, which he knew was ridiculous; Severus was a vampire, and he'd probably taken and given blood countless times over the course of his long life, but this was still new for Remus, and he hadn't quite reconciled his new state of being yet.

He felt Severus' fingers caress his cheek, then they slipped under his chin, gently urging his head back up. "There is no shame in this, and it would be foolish not to do everything possible to survive. The only thing you might regret is if you experience any visions of my life; it wasn't always pleasant."

Remus lifted his gaze to meet Severus' shyly, feeling a little subdued despite Severus' reassurances. "I know it's necessary," he said. "It's just strange. To bite someone, to drink blood..." He shook his head. "It's not something I wanted. I don't know who or what I am anymore, and I haven't had enough information or enough time to figure all this out." 

"I know." Severus' thumb caressed Remus' cheek again, then he leaned forward, kissing Remus' lips gently. "Under different circumstances, I would have offered you the gift of immortality and given you time to adjust. Or even refuse. I regret that you were thrust into this against your will; believe me, I am aware of what that feels like, and you've had it done to you twice now." He was silent for a moment. "I wish that things were different for you, and I regret my part in it. Unfortunately what is done is done, and all I can do now is try to help you get through it. As to what you are... I don't know. I don't think anyone does. But as to _who_ you are..." He smiled slightly. "You're still the same man you were before. The man who knocked me on my arse the moment our eyes met for the first time. Nothing can change that, and this doesn't turn you into a monster unless you allow it to do so."

Remus shifted closer and slid his arms around Severus' waist, instinctively clinging to the one familiar touchstone in the midst of the chaos his life had become. "I don't want to be a monster," he said, resting his head on Severus' shoulder. "I just want to be me. And to have a respite from the mortal peril," he added, smiling wryly.

"We'll get there," Severus said wrapping his arms around Remus in return. "I don't know when, but soon, I hope." He returned Remus' smile with a rueful one of his own. "I want to get to that eternity of shagging, you see. I'm a selfish bastard that way."

Remus couldn't help but chuckle at that, and he nodded. "I want to get there too," he said. "But I suppose we can't do that just yet." He reached up and touched the pendant, stroking it lightly. "If this is what he wants, maybe we should just give it to him. Then he might leave us alone." 

"No, we can't." Severus shook his head, his smile fading. "That... creature... was Gellert, but it wasn't. Or it was _more_ than Gellert. Whatever he's become, it isn't good. He slaughtered almost the entire clan, and I have no reason to believe he won't keep doing it. He's the progenitor of all of us; in a way, we are all his children. He's the one who made the proscription against vampires killing one another, and then in a single night, he changed. Whatever he wants that pendant for, I can't believe that it would mean anything good for us." He looked at Remus somberly. "What if he didn't intend to stop? Kill all the vampires, and all the werewolves, and move on to the mortals? We can't risk it."

Remus frowned, puzzling over what Severus had said. "What caused him to change, though? Was it because he was woken up too soon? For that matter, who woke him up? Lucius, perhaps?"

"I think it was... an accident." Severus stroked Remus' back as he frowned in thought. "Voldemort killed that werewolf doctor on the floor of the awakening chamber. His blood must have seeped into Gellert's coffin. That's how the elders are awakened, you see. Blood. It's how I woke Voldemort. Perhaps being woken with werewolf blood has driven him mad."

"But he didn't look like a vampire," Remus mused. "I mean, you haven't mentioned vampires being able to shape-shift, and other than sprouting fangs, you've always looked the same. The werewolves said they'd been looking for me because I'm descended from someone called Gryffindor, and for whatever reason, that made my blood special. Is it possible what happened to me happened to Gellert, too? Maybe it wasn't as rare or special as the werewolves thought."

"No doubt what happened to you _did_ happen to Gellert," Severus said with a grimace. "Gellert is not just descended from Gryffindor; he's Gryffindor's son, one of three from what the werewolf doctor said, and the first vampire. We knew of Gellert, and of Albus, his brother who is the progenitor of the werewolves. Apparently you were descended of a third son, a mortal, but your blood carries whatever it is that allows your family to adapt to disease or infection rather than be destroyed by it. Gellert must have assimilated the werewolf blood in the way you assimilated the vampiric infection when I bit you. Which means he is at least as powerful as you... perhaps even more so."

"Oh, great." It was Remus' turn to grimace. "I'm going to get my ass handed to me by the new and improved model of werewolf-vampire hybrid, who's far older, more powerful, and a better fighter than I am. This night just keeps getting better and better." 

Severus shook his head. "No, you are not. You're forgetting that you have something Gellert does not." He gave Remus a predatory smile. "Me. I'm more of a fighter than Gellert ever was. I will do everything in my power to protect you, or I will die trying."

"Let's leave out the 'die trying' part," Remus replied, mustering a smile. "Otherwise, it sounds like a good plan." He unfastened the necklace and held it up, studying the pendant in hopes of seeing something on it that might offer a clue. "All this fuss over a necklace," he mused, reaching out to trace the pattern on the front. "I wonder what it..." 

His words died off as flashes of images - James' memories - flooded his mind. He saw James and a dark-haired man poring over what looked like an ancient textbook. Remus wasn't familiar with the room, but the cramped space, dim light, and concrete walls made him suspect it was part of the home the werewolves had made for themselves underground; the other man was writing swiftly as if taking notes, and the two of them appeared deeply immersed in whatever they were doing. The pendant was lying on one page of the open book between them. 

"There's a man... a werewolf, I think..." Remus said slowly, his voice sounding distance even to his own ears. "He worked with James." He shook his head to clear it and looked at Severus, the memories receding at last. "He might know something about this, if he's still alive."

"Oh, you saw something, did you?" One of Severus' brows quirked upward, and he looked thoughtful. "That's a big if, unfortunately, given the fighting that went on, but I suppose it's the only place we have to start. At least it's something to do rather than just running or waiting for Gellert to find us. It's too close to sunrise to go back tonight, but we can get started as soon as the sun sets tomorrow." 

Severus' hands moved upward, skimming over Remus' chest before he brought them up to frame Remus' face. His dark eyes glittered with what Remus was coming to swiftly recognize as arousal. "Whatever shall we do until the morning arrives?" he asked, his voice deep and husky.

"Our options are rather limited, since there doesn't seem to be a deck of cards or any board games handy," Remus replied, a small smile quirking one corner of his mouth. His mind was still buzzing, distracting him, but he tried to push his tumultuous thoughts aside; there was nothing either of them could do for the time being, as frustrating as that might be. 

Severus snorted, but there was a flash of understanding in his eyes. "I suppose you're stuck with talking to me then. Let's at least get comfortable, all right?" Releasing him, Severus stood and faced the crate next to them. He wrenched off the top, then gave a chuckle of satisfaction. "Down coats - much better than trying to get comfortable on a concrete floor, don't you think?" Lifting out several of the coats, Severus spread them on the floor, then added more until he was satisfied with the result. "There. Come on, I won't bite, I promise." Severus smiled toothily. "Or not much."

Remus slipped off his shoes and padded over to the makeshift bed Severus had created. "If you didn't bite, I wouldn't be here now," he replied, sliding his arms around Severus' waist. "Somehow, it doesn't seem so bad when you do it." 

"Don't forget that if you ever get angry with me," Severus replied. Then he gave a wicked smirk before lifting Remus up and dumping him onto the pile of coats. "And don't hesitate to ask if you want me to gnaw on you from time to time."

Remus let out a little yelp as he landed on his backside, but an idea popped in his head, and before he could think better of it, he shifted and kicked out one leg, sweeping Severus' legs out from under him. 

He had the satisfaction of seeing Severus' eyes widen in surprise at his unexpected move, but Severus recovered even as he fell, twisting in mid-air like a cat and landing on top of Remus, pinning him down with his hands on Remus' shoulders and his knees straddling Remus' hips. "Clever," he said approvingly. "If you do that to an enemy, though, make certain to have a blade in your hand to stab them in the gut when they fall."

"Blade in the gut," Remus repeated, pleased that Severus had praised his move. Apparently, watching all those action movies had paid off in an odd way. "Got it." He rested his hands on Severus' thighs and slid them up to Severus' hips, his expression softening. "Now if you're finished sweet-talking me, why don't you come down here and nibble on me a little? Show me what it's like when life and death aren't at stake."

Severus chuckled, rolling over to one side and stretching his long body out next to Remus. "I am detecting a bit of a fetish?" he asked, before leaning closer, his lips close to Remus' throat. "That would be quite convenient." With that, he began to nibble the skin of Remus' neck playfully.

Snuggling closer, Remus tilted his chin to offer Severus better access, the feel of Severus' teeth on his throat making him shiver pleasurably. "I seem to have a fetish for tall, dark-haired, sexy vampires who save my life. Who knew?" Winding his arms around Severus, he slid his hands along the length of Severus' back. "As for the nibbling... if I like it coming from you, maybe it'll get easier for me to do it myself."

Severus chuckled against Remus' skin, then bit down harder, letting Remus feel the sharper prick of what had to be his fangs for a moment. Then he lifted his head and looked down at Remus, one brow quirked. "Would it help if I told you that I, too, like to be bitten? Especially by you."

The hint of Severus' fangs made Remus shiver again, and he tightened his arms around Severus. "Do you really?" he asked, gazing up at Severus with widened eyes, surprised by that revelation. "So it _can_ be something that's more than a necessity? More than just... feeding?"

"Oh, yes," Severus replied, a voice a velvety purr. "We also exchange information through blood, as you've learned, and some of us find it very erotic to bite or be bitten during sex. Everyone is different, of course, but I happen to enjoy it."

"I'd like to learn to enjoy it," Remus said, cupping Severus' cheek in his palm and stroking it gently. "I think it would help me accept this new side of myself. I've got to live with the fact that I need blood to survive, and it might not always come in handy little bags. Better for it to be a pleasure than something I dread, right?"

"A wise perspective," Severus said, and there was genuine respect in his eyes. "What can I do to help? If you wish, you can bite me and see how it affects me. Really see it, I mean. If you focus on my blood, you might be able to perceive it from my point of view."

"I've already bitten you once tonight, though," Remus said, regarding him questioningly. "Is that dangerous for you? I don't want to weaken you, not when we've got a monster like Gellert after us." 

"You didn't take very much blood when you bit me," Severus answered in a reassuring tone. "And I drank two bags of the substitute before we left the safe house. You won't weaken me, and even if you did, I could find an animal to feed from. I've had a long time to become used to feeding."

"True. I'm several centuries behind in experience." Remus smiled wryly, but then he drew Severus down for a light kiss. "Where do you like being bitten best?" he asked, murmuring the question against Severus' lips. 

Severus returned the kiss with gentleness. "On the throat, as cliche as that might seem."

"Such a traditionalist," Remus said, chuckling quietly. "I suppose next you'll be telling me you've got a black cape tucked away somewhere, too." 

"Actually, not in the last century," Severus said. He rolled suddenly, pulling Remus on top of him and baring his teeth in a wicked smile. "But if it turns you on, I don't mind wearing one. I'll even give up the billowy coat."

Remus gasped, and his eyes flew open wide as Severus rolled him and he found himself sprawled on top of Severus; he braced himself on his elbows and shook his head as he gazed down. "No, you can't give up the billowy coat," he said firmly. "It's too bad-ass and too sexy. I'd rather see the coat than a cape any day... night. Whenever."

"As you wish." There was a gleam in Severus' eyes, and he tilted his head back, offering up his throat. "Perhaps I'll wear only the coat for you sometime."

"I'd like that," Remus murmured, although he was distracted from the erotic imagery of Severus naked save for the coat by the sight of Severus baring his throat. Remus felt his heartbeat quicken and his stomach clench as he waged a silent, internal battle. There was a darkness in him that found the sight appealing; that part of him was salivating at the thought of him sinking his teeth into Severus' flesh, but the part of him that still clung to his humanity was equally repulsed by the thought, horrified by the prospect of such a brutal, violent, bestial act. 

But this was a demon he knew he had to face and conquer; he wouldn't survive long if he let himself remain squeamish about drinking blood, and despite all the danger and all the changes, he didn't want to die. He certainly didn't want to die because he couldn't handle a little blood-letting. He might not be the most aggressive man in the world, but he didn't want "Here lies the world's wussiest vampire-werewolf" on his gravestone, either. 

Drawing in a deep, bracing breath, he forced himself to move, to _do_ something, deciding to start slowly and work his way up to biting; he stroked Severus' neck lightly, letting his fingertips come to rest at the jugular, feeling for Severus' heartbeat. 

"Mmmm..." The hum of pleasure came from deep in Severus' chest, low and quiet, but Remus could hear it. He could see the way Severus' eyes closed halfway and his lips parted, as though he were anticipating something even more pleasant to come. Severus' hands rested on Remus' hips, and he squeezed lightly as though in encouragement.

Bracing himself again, Remus bent his head and ran his nose along the length of Severus' throat, breathing in his familiar scent; he closed his eyes and brought his lips to rest where his fingers had been moments before, feeling the steady pulse against his mouth.

"Yesssss..." Severus hissed, tilting his head back even further, moving restlessly beneath Remus as though seeking more. "I want you to do it, Remus. I want to feel your fangs on me, in me. I like it. I _want_ it."

Remus could feel his fangs elongating, drawn out by the heady scent of Severus' desire and the feel of Severus' pulse, the steady throb like a siren's call to his vampire half; he focused on Severus' words of encouragement, reminding himself over and over like a mantra that this was consensual, that there was nothing monstrous or wrong about it, and with the feeling of one about to leap off the high board, he bit. 

A moan escaped Severus' lips, and he arched up against Remus, trembling with what appeared to be eagerness. His fingers dug into Remus' hips, holding him in place. "Yes! Like that... just like that," he groaned. "Feed from me. Take my blood..."

The feel of his own teeth sinking deeper into Severus' flesh filled Remus with equal parts fascination and horror; there was still that part of him that couldn't believe what he was doing, playing every scary movie he'd ever seen in his head and reminding him that _he_ was the Thing That Goes Bump In the Night now. But there was that other side urging him on; _that_ side reveled in the scent of blood filling his nose and the sound of Severus' groans. The one thing both sides agreed on was the intimacy of act, a sharing as profound as sex, perhaps even more so considering the memories that were passed along in the blood. He drank, knowing Severus was giving him more than merely blood, and when he drew back at last, he felt oddly humbled. 

Severus opened his eyes, his tongue flicking out to lick his parted lips, his eyes glittering with arousal. "See?" he murmured. "I like it."

Remus sat up, straddling Severus' hips, and wiped his mouth. "Yes, I could tell you liked it," he replied, amusement lacing his voice. "The moaning and squirming were subtle, but helpful clues." 

"Good," Severus replied. "What can I do now to help you get used to it?"

"Just bear with me." Remus smiled wryly. "This was a start, but it's going to take time for me to get past the knee-jerk negative reactions. Fortunately, time is one thing we have plenty of. Assuming we survive Gellert."

"We will, you'll see. I don't intend for us to be defeated by anything," Severus said firmly. He urged Remus down beside him, pulling him in close and tight. "I've not waited all these centuries to find happiness only to lose it. I'm known for being a stubborn bastard, and I see no reason to be an less stubborn about this than I am about anything else."

Remus wrapped his arms around Severus and nestled close. "Definitely not," he agreed. 

Severus was quiet for a moment, his hands caressing over Remus' back. "I hope this werewolf we're trying to find is still alive and that he has some answers," he said softly. "Otherwise I'm not certain what we're going to do."

It was a little unsettling to hear Severus express doubt; he'd always seemed to know what to do before, and Remus had come to rely on that certainty, feeling safe in putting his trust in whatever plan Severus had. Tightening his arms around Severus, Remus brushed a light kiss against his jaw. 

"We'll figure something out," he said. "Luck has been on our side so far. Maybe it will stay that way. Maybe he's still alive, and he can help us figure out what's so special about the pendant. If not... Well, I've heard the Himalayan Mountains are nice this time of year," he added in a lighter tone. He was joking about the destination, but not about running; if that was the only option that remained to them, he would rather try hiding out than confronting Gellert again.

"I'm not too fond of snow," Severus said, giving huff of amusement. "So I suppose we'll have to find this werewolf." He sighed. "Sunrise is approaching, I can feel it. At least we should be safe while we sleep."

Remus snagged a couple of coats and covered himself and Severus with them as makeshift blankets. "If anyone comes in, I'll hear them and wake up," he said as he snuggled as close to Severus as possible and relaxed at last. "I'll take care of you."

"We'll take care of each other." Severus' voice was low, his tone becoming groggy, but Remus could hear it easily. Severus' arms tightened around him, even as Severus' eyes slid closed. "Forever."


	4. Chapter 4

"Frank and Alice, you take the uptown section, and Alastor and William will go through central. You aren't just looking for the damned blood-suckers. Remember to look for likely hiding places, too. Then we can go back after sunrise and take out any of them who have gone to ground. Questions?"

Gaius had plenty of questions, starting with "why in the hell are we doing this" and ending with "isn't it time to think about peace with Voldemort dead", but he didn't voice them. He could see that Sirius wasn't in any mood for listening to reason or logic, not when his ancient enemies were all but annihilated and he could smell victory. Sirius hated the vampires, a feeling James had not shared and one that Gaius was unable to understand. Perhaps it was because he was too much of an academic and knew too much of the history of both species to ever buy into Sirius' insistence that they were natural enemies who would fight until only one species was triumphant.

Most of the younger werewolves were all too ready to believe, despite James' efforts. James would know; he'd been alive longer than any of them, but James had had less time to spend among the growing clan of lycanthropes. He'd been so focused on finding the mortal descendants of Gryffindor and working on his plans for vengeance against Voldemort that he'd let the opinions of younger and more ignorant werewolves stand unchallenged. There was little Gaius could have done to stem the tide of rumor and gossip, so that now, with James gone, it seemed that any thought of the truth of the relationship between the two species was lost. The werewolves knew that they had been hunted and killed by the vampires, and all that most of them wanted was a chance to strike now that their enemies had been weakened.

The meeting was breaking up, the werewolves looking grimly satisfied with the deadly mission they were about to undertake. But Gaius would have no part of it; he knew the truth, and even though Sirius had refused to listen, that didn't mean Gaius was about to go out and act on what was nothing but the continuation of the feud between James and Voldemort. They were both _dead_ , and it was stupid and pointless to carry on their fight when it might mean the destruction of them all.

Shaking his head in disgust, Gaius moved toward one side of the open chamber, a large area where several tunnels intersected and the only place large enough for all the werewolves to gather at once. He needed to get back to Regulus and tell him what had happened, then try to figure out a way to get Regulus out of here and to somewhere safe before he was discovered. So focused was he on the matter of what to do with the beautiful vampire that Gaius didn't even see Sirius until he almost walked right into him.

"Where are you going, Gaius?" Sirius asked, crossing his arms over his chest and lifting a brow as he looked down at Gaius. From this close, the family resemblance to Regulus was readily apparent; both had the same aquiline nose and firm chin, the same curling black hair and pale eyes. But where Regulus looked elegant, clean-shaven and slender, Sirius was burlier and had let days of scruff accumulate on his face. He had thought Sirius an attractive man, once, which was part of what had led to him become a werewolf, but now in comparison to his brother, Sirius seemed crude and coarse. Gaius still liked Sirius, but right now, he was too frustrated and upset to deal with him.

"I have things to do. Notes to finish up," he replied evasively.

"You should come with me," Sirius replied, leaning closer to him. "James coddled you, you know, letting you get away with not learning to fight, spending all your time working on histories that no longer matter. It's time you learned how to kill; that's what we do. If you don't know how to strike first, you'll end up as so much dead meat rotting in the sun."

"I don't think so," Gaius replied, keeping his tone even. "You know I don't agree with what you're doing, but I can't stop you if you won't listen to reason. But I won't be part of it, either."

Sirius moved back, his eyes narrowed and his lips drawn down into a frown and anger flashing in his eyes. "You don't really have a choice, not unless you want to fight me for leadership of the clan. James left me in charge, not you, which means you'll do as I say!"

Gaius looked at Sirius, shaking his head sadly. "I don't know what makes me sadder: the thought that you are going against what you know James was trying to do or the reason why you're doing it. James didn't hate the vampires, and you know it. He only hated Voldemort, and, in a way, you're acting exactly like Voldemort did! You're taking your hatred of one vampire out on all of them! Killing every one of them won't change what happened between you and your brother, and you know it, so why don't you just let it rest? There are too few of _both_ species left, and carrying on a pointless war is only going to end up getting all of us killed!"

Sirius went white with fury, but Gaius wasn't about to wait around to be punished for insubordination. He quickly turned and walked away, hoping that Sirius would consider his mission against the vampires more important than chasing Gaius down. 

After a few moments, he became convinced that he was safe, and he drew in a deep breath, releasing it on a sigh of relief. He would have liked to stop and lean against the wall to indulge in a fit of the shakes, but he didn't have time. He had to figure out a way to get past the hatred of _both_ species, otherwise he was certain, as James had been, that they would eventually fight themselves into extinction. James had truly planned to enforced the peace once Voldemort was destroyed and bring back the "old ways" between them, when vampires and werewolves had existed in a form of symbiosis. Gaius thought James was on the right track, but the question was, how to do it? He was just one werewolf...

It hit him so suddenly that he almost stumbled, and he smacked his hand against his head, cursing himself for his own stupidity. He _was_ only one werewolf, but a werewolf who was currently in possession of something that no one else was - a vampire. Both species had sprung from only one of each, hadn't they? Perhaps, if things went as badly as he feared they would in Sirius' continuation of the war, it would be enough. 

Of course Regulus didn't like him, but Gaius thought he might could change that. He really was more of a lover than a fighter.

Thirty minutes after the rest of the werewolves had departed on their missions of slaughter, Gaius made his way toward the holding cell where Regulus was, hoping that the things James had told him were true and not some romanticized ideal. He was about to bet the future of the immortals on those stories, and it would be too bitterly ironic for James, who had wanted to save them all, to cause their extinction with a faulty memory.

He stopped about the bars of Regulus' cell, mustering a smile. "I'm back. Sorry for the delay. There have been some unpleasant complications, I'm afraid."

If Regulus was relieved to see that Gaius had returned, thus sparing him from withering into a dried up husk, he didn't show it; he stood in the center of the small cell and folded his arms across his chest, glaring through the bars at Gaius.

"I suppose it's too much to hope the rest of your brutish clan have been exterminated," he said coldly.

"If things keep going as they are, you'll no doubt get your wish," Gaius said dryly. Seeing Regulus again, faced with his obvious hostility, he had to wonder if the things James had told him, even if true, could overcome such intense antipathy. Well, there was nothing to do but try. "I hope to be able to release you soon, but you need to feed first, don't you? I... brought blood for you."

Reaching into his jacket, Gaius withdrew a medical bag filled with deep crimson blood. He didn't tell Regulus that it was his own; after talking to Sirius, he had gone to their makeshift infirmary and siphoned the blood from his own arm. Holding the bag out to Regulus, he smiled a bit pensively. "Here, take it. You'll need your strength."

Regulus eyed him warily before reaching out to take the bag and sniffing the contents suspiciously. "Where did you get this?" he demanded. "Is it tainted? Are you trying to drug me?"

Gaius rolled his eyes. "And what purpose would I have in doing that? I'm risking my own life in keeping you here, and I've done everything I can to keep you _safe_." He shook his head. "Drink it or don't, but if you don't, you won't have the strength to fight if I release you, and you'll have only your own short-sighted bigotry and idiocy to blame."

Regulus snarled at Gaius, a sound of pure frustration, but Gaius could see his fangs extending, and after what appeared to be one last moment of inner debate, he bit into the bag and began to drink, swallowing deeply.

A shudder wracked Gaius' body as Regulus swallowed, but it wasn't from revulsion. Somehow he could _feel_ the blood sliding down Regulus' throat, and he moved closer to the bars, his eyes wide as he watched Regulus feed. His heart was pounding, and it almost felt as though he could hear Regulus' heart, beating in time to his own. A flush came to his face, and he felt an irresistible pull toward Regulus, as though there were a string stretched between them so tightly that he needed to be closer to ease the tension. 

Unaware of what he was doing, Gaius withdrew the key to Regulus' cell from his pocket and unlocked the door. He had to be with Regulus, _needed_ to be nearer to him immediately. He wanted to touch Regulus, wanted to touch him more than he'd ever wanted anything in his life. 

_James was right; it really does work_ , Gaius thought dazedly. Well, if he'd bound himself to a vampire for the rest of his life, at least he'd picked a hot one.

* * *

Regulus crumpled the plastic bag in his fist and tossed it aside, scarcely able to believe his luck. The idiot was unlocking the cell door! He could easily overpower the beast and make his escape, and he didn't intend to waste this opportunity. As soon as the beast opened the door and stepped into the cell, Regulus lunged forward with preternatural speed and clamped his fingers around the beast's throat, wanting the satisfaction of watching his captor die before he escaped. 

But as soon as he touched the beast - as soon as their eyes met - he shuddered, a strange rush of heat washing over him. He _wanted_ to crush the beast's windpipe and watch it asphyxiate; he wanted to break its neck just to hear the satisfying snap of bone... and his fingers wouldn't obey.

He wanted to, but he _couldn't_ , and he growled his frustration as he slammed the werewolf against the wall and pressed against him, acutely, unsettlingly aware of the werewolf's lean build.

"You said you didn't drug me! Liar! What the hell have you done to me?" he demanded.

The werewolf wasn't struggling, and, unbelievably, he didn't even look afraid. His dark eyes were slumberous, and he smiled in a way that looked almost dazed. "I just gave you blood... not drugged. My own blood."

Regulus stared at him, frowning, and shook his head. "So? I don't understand. Why would drinking your blood..." He trailed off, momentarily mesmerized by the warm, rich scent rising from the werewolf's skin, and he shook his head to clear it. He leaned in until they were nearly nose-to-nose, his voice low and intense. "Why don't I want to kill you? Why can't I hurt you? Tell me!"

A puzzled frown creased the werewolf's brow. "I don't know why you can't hurt me... I knew I wouldn't be able to hurt you," he said, his voice husky. "I... bound myself to you. I didn't know if it would work. James said that it was real; a werewolf, offering his blood freely, binds himself to a vampire. He said they used to do it that way, before the war. When our species were partners - equals. Werewolves were the guardians of the vampires during the daytime and offered their blood in emergencies to help the vampires survive."

" _What_?" Regulus gaped at him, stunned by that revelation. He could scarcely process the idea that he was bound to a werewolf, one of the creatures he'd spent centuries hunting and killing, and he stepped back, although he didn't release the werewolf, sliding his hands down and curling his fingers into the front of the werewolf's shirt. "Why?"

The werewolf smiled, and something that looked oddly like affection shone in his eyes. "It's complicated, but I wanted to. To protect you and to save you. Maybe to save us all."

Regulus gave him another little shove and pressed him harder against the cold wall, trying valiantly to ignore the werewolf's tempting warmth. "What are you talking about?" he demanded. "Save us from what? How long is this bond going to last? How much will it affect me? I want answers, and I want them _now_."

It was a bit disconcerting for the werewolf to seem so calm when Regulus was trying to be intimidating; the lycanthrope's breathing had sped up, but there was no scent of fear about him at all. "Save us from ourselves - from the lies and the hatred we've been taught by our elders," he replied, his voice husky. "I don't know how the bond will affect you. James only described it as the first of a two part bond, where a werewolf and a vampire both make a voluntary choice to bind themselves to each other - as he was bound to his wife, Lily. She was Voldemort's daughter. You know that, don't you? Why the war started in the first place? Vampires and werewolves didn't always hate each other. We were symbiotic once; the werewolves were the daytime guardians of the vampires. Protectors. When Voldemort became more powerful than Gellert, he perverted that relationship, making us into the vampire's slaves... and when James fell in love with Lily, when she became pregnant with his child, Voldemort killed her and declared war on us all."

"No!" Regulus shoved himself away from the werewolf with violent force, shaking his head in vehement denial. He didn't want to believe a single word, but he could tell from the werewolf's scent that he wasn't afraid, and he wasn't lying. But if what the werewolf said was true... "No, it can't be," he muttered, raking his fingers through his hair. "I knew he was-" He broke off, not wanting to utter any criticism in front of the werewolf, but he'd never been as fanatically loyal to Voldemort as Severus and had been able to see the elder vampire more clearly; his loyalty had always been to the one who turned him: his kinswoman, Bellatrix. "I can't believe he killed his own daughter. We were told James betrayed his masters and led a rebellion, intending to slaughter all vampires!"

 _That_ was a reason Regulus could support, but war for the sake of power and vanity was not, and he felt as if the entire foundation of his life had been shattered.

"You said there were two parts to the bond," he said at last, fumbling for one thing he could cling to that was still solid and real. "What is the other part? Will it fade if it is never completed? I must know!" he demanded, his voice ragged, almost cracking. "I can't spend the rest of my existence bound to a werewolf!"

There was a flash of hurt in the werewolf's dark eyes, but he held himself up proudly. "I am not lying," he said with quiet dignity. "I am telling the truth, told to me by someone who was _there_ , a werewolf who not only served a vampire, but loved her and tried to protect her. James didn't hate all vampires; he only hated Voldemort, and with good reason." He paused for a moment, his tone dropping even lower. "Am I so repugnant, then? Could you never look at me and see me as Gaius rather than a werewolf?"

Regulus stared at him blankly, scarcely able to process the idea, and he pushed his fingers through his hair again, letting out a short, sharp breath. "Why does it matter so much to you what I think?" he asked at last, deflecting the question since he couldn't come up with a satisfactory answer even in his own mind. "Thanks to this bond you forced on me, I can't harm you. That ought to be enough for whatever do-gooder ideals you have about ending the war."

"You don't get it!" The werewolf stepped toward him, holding out a hand in entreaty. "You don't see what this means? How you've been lied to, used for the purposes of others? This is much bigger than the issue of you or me! Can't you understand that our species need each other to survive?"

"I get it!" Regulus snapped, scowling fiercely. "I am not stupid. I understand the implications of everything you've said. I understand the war wasn't being fought for the reasons I believed it was. What do you expect me to do about it? The fact remains that your lot tried to kill us, too. You have been my enemy since I was turned, and if my brother is out there, hunting whoever is left alive, then you are still my enemy. The war is _not_ over, no matter how much you may want it to be."

Slowly the werewolf advanced, until he was close enough to place his hand on Regulus' arm, a light touch. "I am not your enemy," he denied huskily. "I can't harm you. I never wished to do so, and now I couldn't, even if it cost me my own life." His lips quirked in a sad smile. "Perhaps you can't harm me, but you can still hurt me. I think this is how Voldemort made the werewolves into slaves. I can tell how this is affecting me, and, believe me, it is much more than you seem to feel."

Regulus flinched at the touch, unaccustomed to a werewolf touching him in a way that wasn't prelude to a fight, but he didn't pull away; the bond might not be affecting him as much as it was the werewolf, but it _was_ affecting him more than he cared to admit.

"You said it was a two part bond, but you never answered my question," he said. "What is the other part?" He drew in a deep, shuddery breath and shook his head. " _Why_ did they bond? This seems like madness or torture!"

"The second part is for you to do as I have done: to freely and willingly offer me your blood." The werewolf met his gaze, then let his hand drop away from Regulus' arm. "And it was neither madness nor torture, I can see that now. James did it for love, but I'm sure all those who did it had their own reasons. Friendship, devotion, affection, attraction... what lies in the hearts of men? We are men, no matter that we are immortal. We have the same needs we did before, and we can feel the same things. Including loneliness."

Regulus tried to imagine what it must have been like in the days before the war, when vampires and werewolves were allies, not enemies; he tried to imagine what it would be like to have a werewolf guardian - a companion - and he tried to imagine a vampire and werewolf falling in love. He had been entrenched in the enemy mindset for so long, he could scarcely comprehend such a love, such a connection.

"And you," he said hoarsely, asking the question despite the fact that he wasn't certain he wanted to know the answer. "Why did you do it?"

For a moment, the werewolf was silent, seeming to debate with himself as his eyes searched Regulus' face. Then he sighed, giving a shrug that seemed to be an effort at insouciance that didn't quite work. "I told you. I wanted to do it. Partially to prove a point, it's true, but... I am attracted to you. I felt it from the first time I saw you, and I do want to keep you safe. I've done my best to do so." Suddenly he smiled, a wry expression that made the corners of his eyes crinkle. "Even if you've been damnably unappreciative of the fact."

Regulus boggled at him, wide-eyed. He wasn't unaware of his own good looks, but he had never imagined a werewolf being attracted to him, despite the werewolf's complimentary remarks; he had brushed those off as an attempt to rattle him, not as a serious sign of genuine attraction.

"I appreciate still being alive," he said stiffly. "I am not eager to end my life now and especially not here. But you can't seriously think I would ever be attracted to a werewolf."

The werewolf was silent again, simply looking at Regulus, his dark eyes sad. "Perhaps not." He stepped back, retreating across the cell until he was as far from Regulus as he could get. "Go on, you're free. You might want to avoid your old home and the downtown area, since that's where the rest of the pack has gone. And there is something else going on. Voldemort's and James' bodies both disappeared without a trace, so there may be yet another actor in this little drama. But that's your concern now, I guess."

Regulus hesitated, watching the werewolf warily; he was too accustomed to trickery to take the werewolf's words at face value, but when he edged to the door and the werewolf made no move to stop him, he bolted and sprinted down the corridor. At first, he felt exhilaration at the thought of being free to seek out the survivors and regroup. Voldemort and Bellatrix might be dead, but they still had Gellert, assuming he hadn't been killed too when the mansion had been destroyed. But the further away he got from the werewolf, the more he felt as if something within him was being stretched further and further, like a rubber band extended nearly to its snapping point.

The bond. It had to be.

He stopped and slumped against the wall, feeling even more trapped than he had been when he was in the cell; at least then, he hadn't been shackled to a werewolf for the foreseeable future, perhaps for the rest of his life. He scrubbed his face with both hands, trying to make sense of everything he had learned and everything he was feeling. He didn't know how to let go of a hatred so deeply ingrained, a hatred that had spurred him to create better weapons and learn better ways of killing his enemy, and yet he couldn't deny that it had been based on a pointless lie.

His entire life as a vampire had been based on a lie, and he had nothing to do any longer - no motivation, no focus, no job. His home was gone, his kinswoman was dead, and his friends and colleagues had been killed. He didn't even know who, if anyone, was still alive; he hoped someone else had survived - perhaps Severus - but he had no way of knowing and little hope. He was completely adrift with no ties to anything or anyone any longer.

Except the werewolf.

Regulus Black was not a man accustomed to feeling helpless or uncertain or to not having a clear focus. He always knew what he wanted and what he was doing, and being thrown into such uncertainty and chaos didn't sit well with him. Not at all. He couldn't go home; there was no home left. He could take refuge in one of the safe houses for the day and search for survivors as soon as night fell, but with the werewolves roaming the streets, on the prowl for vampires, he would be a walking target even if he could arm himself anew. He was good, but he couldn't take on an entire pack by himself.

And then there was the inexplicable, inexorable pull he felt because of that damned bond.

As little as he wanted to admit it, he had no other viable options, and with a weary sigh, he turned and headed back the way he had come, following the inner pull back to the werewolf.

When he arrived back at the cell, it was to find his former captor still standing where he had been, looking at Regulus with surprise mixed with hope. He lifted a hand, half reaching out toward Regulus, his long, slender fingers curved upward in a gesture of invitation. "You felt it, too." The words weren't a question. "The pull. The... need."

Regulus stopped just outside the cell and nodded mutely, his shoulders slumped and his head bowed in defeat. The last place he wanted to be was the only place he belonged anymore, and if everything - his home, his friends, his belongings, his resources - was indeed gone, he wondered if perhaps letting the werewolf pack finish him off was a better option after all.

The werewolf moved so silently that Regulus didn't realize he was there until there was a light touch on his arm again. "You aren't alone. I'm here. I'll help you, if only you'll just let me. Together we'll find some way to build the world back. A better world, one not based on lies or the obsessive vendetta of a single man."

"You are an idealist," Regulus said, his voice low and ragged. "I am not. How do you expect to rebuild the world from nothing but ashes?"

A soft chuckle greeted that comment. "The world - _our_ world - was built from one vampire and one werewolf, was it not? I don't think I'm an idealist, either. I have a firm grounding in reality, but I prefer to be optimistic about things. I study history and mythology, as I told you before. I know that one man can destroy the world, so two men should be able to build it back up again."

"I don't see how you can be optimistic about any of this." Regulus snapped his head up at last and fixed the werewolf with a focused stare. "The rest of your pack will kill me on sight. Unless there were other survivors, I may be the only vampire left alive, and everything I had was destroyed. How am I meant to care about starting over in the face of all that?"

"What's the alternative? Curl up and die?" The werewolf looked at him unflinchingly, one corner of his lips quirky up in a wry smile. "I can't imagine you doing that. Anyone who gave Sirius as much hell as he claims you did when you were both young isn't someone who would roll over and bare his throat in the face of adversity, and you don't seem the type to believe you can't succeed whatever the odds appear to be. Or am I wrong? Perhaps you were more coddled than I imagined. Less of a fighter without all your trappings."

Regulus drew himself up proudly, stung by the accusation, and he glared at the werewolf. "I don't need 'trappings' in order to fight," he said coldly. "I only need my strength and my wits."

"Which I suspect you must be in possession of about half of, given you're standing there unarmed and arguing with a werewolf." Severus' deep voice came from the darkness of one of the tunnels a moment before he stepped into sight. 

Regulus' former captor immediately crouched by Regulus' side, taking a protective stance and _growling_. "Who are you, and what do you want?" the werewolf snapped, sounding unlike his normal, almost professorial tone. For the first time, there was little doubt that the man really was a werewolf under his veneer of culture and good breeding.

Regulus whirled and stared at the source of the voice, shock, joy, and relief overwhelming him so much that he couldn't move or speak right away, and when he _could_ speak again, his voice was ragged. "Severus!" He wasn't a demonstrative man by nature, but he couldn't - and didn't - resist the urge to fling his arms around his old friend and former lover. "I thought you were dead!"

There was surprise in Severus' eyes, but he returned the embrace briefly before patting Regulus' back and stepping back. "I could say the same of you," Severus replied. He searched Regulus' face. "Are you all right? When you didn't return, I thought the worst, and then, after... well. There's been a lot going on. Some good, some bad." He glanced at the werewolf who had moved to Regulus' side, giving him a suspicious glance, resting one hand on the butt of a gun. He lifted the other, making a beckoning motion toward the shadows. "On the good side, this is Remus." The name was said in a tone that managed to convey both pride and possessiveness.

Regulus hadn't noticed that Severus wasn't alone, and he was startled to see someone approach - a young man. He remembered Severus mentioning a new lover, although so much had happened since then, it felt as if that conversation had taken place a lifetime ago. The man, Remus, didn't look familiar, and Regulus drew in a deep breath, trying to identify him as human or vampire, but the scent he caught was confusing, an odd blend of vampire and werewolf and yet somehow more than either or both, and he took an involuntary step back, his hand straying to a weapon at his side that was no longer there.

"What are you?" he demanded.

Remus smiled somewhat sheepishly and glanced at Severus before responding in a soft voice laden with wry humor. "That's a long story," he said. "If it will simplify matters, let's just say I'm not on the side of the vampires or the werewolves. I'm on Severus' side."

"He is," Severus confirmed, his arm curving around Remus' waist in a gesture that seemed odd, given Severus' stated disdain for public displays, but which looked natural. "And I'm on neither side now myself, it seems. There's been a lot going on, and we need to talk." He looked at the werewolf who still remained at Regulus' side. "Who are you?"

Severus must have seemed non-threatening enough, yet another odd state of affairs, for the werewolf stopped growling and straightened. "My name is Gaius."

"He's a werewolf." Regulus was shocked to realize he and Remus had spoken at the same time.

"I remember you," Remus said, peering at the werewolf. "I saw you with James when I was being held captive down here."

"You're the descendant of Gryffindor - of his mortal son Aberforth," Gaius replied, peering back at Remus. "Something happened to you, obviously. Were you there when James died?"

"Did he hurt you?" Severus' voice was harsh, and his eyes were cold as he stared down at Gaius. He tightened his grip on his gun, but he didn't draw it, although Regulus knew quite well that Severus could shoot from the hip with incredible accuracy. "If he hurt you, Remus, I want him dead."

"No, he didn't hurt me," Remus said quickly, turning and resting his hand on Severus' chest as if to soothe him. "He didn't do anything to me, so please don't shoot him. He's the one we're looking for."

"Ah." Severus removed his hand from the gun, but he did take a half-step closer to Remus. "That works out quite nicely, then, and saves us having to hunt him down. You have information we want; you can either give it to us willingly, or we'll take your blood to get it. Your choice."

Gaius' eyes widened at that. "What do you want to know?"

Regulus frowned as he looked back and forth between them, not understanding the conversation at all and vaguely bothered by Severus threatening the werewolf - and bothered that he was bothered. In a world that hadn't gone mad, he would have been helping Severus. Although really, he would have long since killed the werewolf and been on his way. He would _not_ be feeling in any way protective, and he scowled and folded his arms across his chest, growing more and more annoyed as they continued to talk around him.

"We need to know why this pendant is important," Remus said, reaching into his shirt and pulling out a necklace. He held it up for the werewolf to see. "We know it was important to James, but we think it might be important to..." He glanced at Severus. "Someone else as well."

Gaius glanced at Regulus briefly, before licking his lips and nodding. "All right," he said. "Since you're friends of Regulus'. James was given that by his wife, Lily. It's a key - or half of one, at least. If James was right, it is to the prison in which Albus is held, shut away by Voldemort centuries ago."

Severus looked at Gaius intently. "Where is the other half? Who has it?"

"Voldemort did." Gaius paused. "Someone came down here and took his body, though. I don't know who, but I can guess."

"Who?" Remus asked, tucking the necklace beneath his collar again. "We need all the information you can give us. Someone is trying to find this pendant, and we need to know why."

"Gellert?" Gaius looked between Remus and Severus, his eyes wide. "It has to be Gellert looking for it, since he's the only one who might want Albus freed. As to who took Voldemort's and James' bodies, that is probably Godric Gryffindor himself. He's the only one who might want them, and since they vanished so quickly, it couldn't have been Gellert."

"Wait," Regulus spoke up, finding something familiar to latch onto at last. "Gellert is alive? Are there others? We have to warn them! The mutts are out looking for survivors. They want to wipe us out while we're vulnerable."

"I'm not a mutt," Gaius muttered, looking put out. "Anymore than you lot are flying rats."

Severus turned his attention from Gaius, fixing his gaze on Regulus. "I don't know if there are any others alive besides Gellert. It wasn't the werewolves who killed them, either. It was Gellert himself. He ripped apart the mansion and massacred every vampire he could find, all because they were loyal to Voldemort. He's not right, Regulus. He's changed. He's like Remus - part vampire, part werewolf - but he's gone mad. It's all lies, everything we were told. Even why I became a vampire was a lie. The werewolves didn't kill my family. Voldemort did it, then blamed them in order to make me hate them and become his assassin."

Ignoring the werewolf, Regulus pressed one hand against his forehead as he tried to process everything Severus had said. "Half-vampire, half-werewolf? How is that possible? And _Gellert_ killed the others?" He shook his head in disbelief. What Severus said supported what the werewolf had told him, but it was still difficult to accept. "I don't understand any of this..."

"Gaius was right," Remus spoke up. "Apparently, I'm a descendant of this Godric guy, and that makes my blood different. I've been bitten by both a werewolf and a vampire, and I survived and turned into a hybrid. The best of both worlds, in a way. The problem is, Gellert was awakened with werewolf blood, so he's like me, only even stronger and more powerful."

"It's what James was trying to become," Gaius said, turning to look at Regulus. "It's how he planned to defeat Voldemort and help bring about peace, by becoming the very thing Voldemort feared most: a cross between the species with the best attributes of both. He wanted to be a living symbol to show we are equals. James spent a long time looking for Remus; for what it's worth, I don't think he meant to make you a werewolf in the process. If Gellert is one, too..." He stopped, shaking his head with a thoughtful frown. "I don't know. Maybe it did drive him mad. It would make sense, considering that Albus is mad, too."

"He is?" Severus looked at Gaius narrowly. "Why would he want to free him, then?"

Gaius shrugged. "They're brothers. Is it mad to love your brother and regret that he's been locked away? Although from the things James said, locking Albus up was probably a rational decision on Voldemort's part. Albus and the first generation of werewolves weren't shape-shifters, you see; they stayed in the wolf state all the time, and Albus was driven insane by it. He was in love, and the knowledge that he could never be with his beloved again, combined with knowing that his descendants _could_ change form, seems to have caused his madness. It all fit in with Voldemort's schemes very nicely. So long as he had Gellert's brother locked away, Gellert was under his control, which meant that Voldemort ruled over the vampires and the werewolves until James' rebellion."

"I wouldn't care if my brother was locked away," Regulus muttered. He released a ragged breath, trying to sort out the tangle of lies and manipulation that had shaped so many lives for so long. And for what? Power was fleeting, even for immortals. "All right, Gellert wants the pendant. What do you intend to do?"

"We can't let him get his hands on it," Remus said flatly. "Other than that..." He shrugged and spread his hands.

"You think that Godric Gryffindor himself is actually alive?" Severus looked skeptical. "If so, why hasn't he done anything in all this time?"

"I think he has been," Gaius replied. "We've known for a long time that someone - some entity or group - has been cleaning up things among the mortals, helping to keep us hidden. James and I talked about it a lot; I'm one of the few werewolves who actually has an interest in our origins and history. That of the vampires, too, especially since Voldemort was so desperate to keep you all ignorant in order to cover up his lies. At any rate, I've located a castle near the ocean where I believe Godric to be. It was always a contingency plan of James' to seek out Godric if things went bad." He sighed. "I think this qualifies as bad."

Remus looked at Severus, his expression questioning. "What do you think?" he asked softly, and Regulus watched with conflicting emotions roiling within him as Remus reached out to clasp Severus' hand. "Should we try to find Godric and see if he'll help us deal with Gellert?"

Severus' fingers twined with Remus'. "Yes. If he really is alive, he might be our only hope of getting through this." Dark eyes searched Regulus' face. "You'll come with us, I hope. I heard a bit of what the two of you were discussing as we came in; you're the only other vampire whom I give a damn about. If we have to start over, we can do it the right way. Without ignorance, without a hatred handed to us that is no part of who or what we are."

Regulus was stunned to hear Severus, of all people, saying things like that, and he shook his head, feeling more confused rather than less. "I don't know," he murmured. "I'm still not sure I believe all this, but even if it _is_ true, someone ought to look for survivors. I can't simply abandon our home and run off on a fool's quest."

"Our home isn't there any longer," Severus replied, shaking his head. "Look... come with us and give this a try. Right now, we have only one insane, powerful immortal to worry about, but if Gellert is out to release his brother, then we'll have two. No matter what happens, you'll have to face this sooner or later. The sooner you do it, the more of them you can save, if you're so inclined."

"I'm coming too," Gaius spoke up, his voice firm. Severus looked at him with a raised brow, but Gaius didn't back down. "I'm his. Where he goes, I go."

"He is not mine!" Regulus exclaimed, feeling a rush of heat flooding his face such as he hadn't felt since his days as a mortal, and he shook his head in vehement denial and tried not to squirm under the sudden scrutiny he found turned on him. "He kidnapped me and put me in a cell. We are not allies, and if I had a choice, I would have nothing to do with him!"

Gaius held his ground, although he lowered his eyes. Severus looked at Regulus in surprise. "He... kidnapped _you_. And obviously the moment the cell was opened, you killed him and ran away." There was a wealth of irony in Severus' voice. "Do tell."

Regulus glanced away briefly and grimaced when he realized he had painted himself into a corner. "It happened when I found Bellatrix," he said in a low, tight voice as he remembered the horrific sight of his kinswoman's mauled body. "She's dead along with everyone with her and those who were sent to escort her to the mansion. She wasn't just killed. She - _they_ were massacred." He pointed at Gaius, fighting to control his temper. "The mutts tore them apart, and he was with them. I was sickened by what I saw, and after what you and I have seen over the centuries, you should know how inured I have become. I went in pursuit of the mutts, but he ambushed me. I _wanted_ to kill him," he snarled, his voice shaking with barely contained rage. "But he gave me blood - _his_ blood - without my knowledge. Now he is bonded to me, and I feel it just enough that I cannot harm him, no matter how much I want to."

Severus looked taken aback at that, but he glanced at Remus before looking back at Regulus. "I'm sorry about Bellatrix," he said quietly. There were definitely questions hovering on Severus' lips, but he didn't ask them. "But I still feel you should come with us, and he has to come because he knows the way. We'll sort it out; we have a long drive ahead of us, so we'll have plenty of time."

"It seems I have little choice," Regulus replied bitterly. "I attempted to leave when he released me, but that damned bond..." He broke off with a snarl. " _Fine_ ," he ground out. "If I am to be dragged along, let's get on with it, but do not expect me to join in your idealistic notion of saving the world."

"I know where there is a truck we can take," Gaius spoke up, although he wouldn't look at Regulus; apparently there were limits to even his boundless optimism. "Follow me. It's still a while until sunrise, so we can make a good start."

"Lead on, then," Severus replied, gripping Remus' hand tightly. 

Regulus nodded tersely and trailed along behind, not at all optimistic that this ridiculous quest was a worthwhile effort. Unfortunately, if they intended to take the werewolf, he had little choice but to accompany them unless he wanted to suffer the effects of a bond stretched across countless miles. The worst of it was he didn't even have a gun, and he mourned anew when he thought of all his toys, lost in the destruction of the mansion.

Severus might have found enlightenment and sex during all this upheaval, but for Regulus, the future still looked bleak indeed.

~*~*~*~*~*~


	5. Chapter 5

The truck Gaius led them to had seen better days, but Severus was satisfied that it was nondescript enough that no one ought to take any notice of it. It smelled musky, but it was tolerable so long as it ran and would get them where they needed to go.

Before they left, however, he had one issue to deal with, and he took Remus aside, dropping his voice down so that only Remus could hear. "There's only room for two up front; the other two will have to sit in the back," he said, cradling Remus' cheek in his hand. "If you don't mind, I would like to drive, with Regulus riding up front. I need to talk to him and try to get him out of this frame of mind he's in. Can you stand riding with the werewolf? He seems not as brutish as most of them. You might even be able to have an intelligent conversation with him."

Although Remus appeared dubious, he leaned into the touch and nodded. "I'm not thrilled about it," he admitted. "My experiences with the werewolves haven't been great, and I'm not eager to socialize with any of them, but you're right. Regulus isn't going to be any help in the state of mind he's in right now, and we don't need anymore obstacles than we already have. Do what you need to do," he said, offering a reassuring smile as he reached up to caress Severus' cheek in return. "I'll be all right."

"Remember, you have a gun, and he doesn't - and do _not_ hesitate to use it," Severus replied. He turned his head so that he could press his lips to Remus' palm, even as he reached out, wrapping his arms around Remus and pulling him closer. "Thank you for trusting me. When this is all over I'll make certain to reward you for your faith."

Smiling, Remus wound his arms around Severus' neck and pressed close. "I trust you completely," he said. "I know you would never do anything to put me in harm's way. Besides, you're right: I have a gun, and I _will_ use it if necessary."

"That's the spirit." Severus gave a nod of grim approval, then bent his head and captured Remus' lips in a deep kiss, his hands sliding over Remus' back, molding their bodies together. 

It didn't matter what price he had to pay to make certain Remus was safe. Remus was worth everything, and Severus was going to do everything in his power to give them a chance for that _forever_ they both wanted. He plundered Remus' mouth, moaning into the kiss, wishing there was time for a more direct demonstration of how much Remus meant to him. Remus responded in the sweetly yielding way that Severus was growing familiar with, tightening his arms around Severus and surrendering to everything and anything Severus wanted from the kiss. Only the sound of approaching footsteps made them break apart at last, albeit slowly, and Remus smiled a bit bashfully at having been "caught".

"Sorry to interrupt," Regulus said dryly.

Severus pressed his lips to Remus' forehead before turning his head to look at Regulus. "It's all right, we need to go; any more than that would just be frustrating." He released Remus with reluctance. "All right, then, into the back with you." He looked for Gaius and found him hovering off to one side, obviously feeling out of place. "You and Remus can ride together. I need to catch Regulus up on everything about Gellert so that we can devise a plan."

"All right," Gaius said, then turned and headed silently for the back of the truck. He didn't go out of his way to avoid Regulus, but he seemed disinclined to beg for attention, either, even if it was glaringly obvious to Severus that he wanted Regulus to notice him.

"Come on, I'm driving. You can ride shotgun," he said to Regulus. Then he paused, drawing one of his guns and handing it over. "Here. You look odd without a weapon on you somewhere. It's disconcerting."

Regulus took the weapon, a flash of gratitude in his pale eyes, and holstered it, although he approached the cab of the truck with a distinct lack of enthusiasm. "It _felt_ disconcerting," he said as he opened the door and climbed in.

Severus climbed in the other side, closing the door and reaching for the seat-belt. "I can believe it," he replied as he turned the key and the engine roared to life. He smiled grimly. "We'll get some more weapons at one of the safe-houses further from town. I don't trust any of the ones close by; either the werewolves will be looking for them or Gellert might think to go hunting. I suppose we could always rob a mortal's store, if we end up with no other choice. Although I don't know how much good most of them will do. Gellert has definitely gotten tougher; the only thing that fazed him was a shot through a wing with a belt-fed shotgun. Oh, I suppose I should have mentioned that Gellert has wings and can fly now... and that it was Remus who shot him."

"Good for him," Regulus replied sourly as he fastened his seat belt and settled in with his arms folded across his chest. "Gellert has wings, has become a hybrid, and is killing his own kind indiscriminately." He shook his head, scowling. "I don't see how you expect to succeed in this fool's errand. This is ridiculous!" he exclaimed. "We should be searching for survivors and retaliating against the mutts. If I'm going to search for anything, I want it to be a cure for this damned bond, not the first-born mutt with his homicidal brother hot on our heels."

Severus was quiet, mulling over Regulus' words as he wound directed the truck toward the exit Gaius had indicated, and in a short time, they were leaving the tunnels and emerging into the cool, damp air of the night. It was a relief to be away again, and it was a surprise that they had managed to obtain their objective: finding the werewolf historian and escaping without a scratch. Even better that they'd discovered Regulus at the same time, and that his friend was unharmed. Regulus' mental state was an entirely different matter, one that Severus could understand, even if he didn't share it. The difference between him and Regulus was that Severus had discovered something worth fighting for, while Regulus had lost everything he'd ever known.

The streets were deserted, which was to be expected given the lateness of the hour, and as he stopped for a signal light, he turned to look at his friend somberly. "I know what you've lost, because I've lost it, too. Perhaps even more so because at least your reason for becoming a vampire wasn't based on a lie, on being set up by the one person you truly respected and thought cared about you. The things I've seen and learned in the last twenty-four hours... it's as though we were existing as puppets, our strings deftly pulled by the elders, Voldemort in particular. But as horrible as it is, I find that knowing the truth is better; for the first time, my destiny is in my own hands, and I can make of my immortality anything I chose. You can do the same, my friend; the werewolves didn't visit this upon us, Voldemort did. Now I feel as though it is up to us to finish it. If our kind is truly to be safe, we need to get rid of this threat. Otherwise, anything we do will be in peril."

"I don't care," Regulus said, his voice flat. He leaned his head back, surrounded by an uncharacteristic air of defeat. "I don't see the point of this. Even if you manage to find Godric and stop Gellert, so what? Everything is _gone_. Our kind has probably been reduced to the two of us, and we have nowhere safe to go, no money, no weapons, no blood, nothing but the clothes on our backs and the mutts at our heels. And I'm stuck with that creature," he added bitterly.

"Having a werewolf on your side can be a good thing, trust me; having one devoted to you is even better." The light turned green, and Severus started forward again. "Putting aside the issue of what we're doing for the moment, what is this about you drinking his blood and a bond forming between you? How did that happen?" 

Regulus released a short, sharp breath and raked his fingers through his hair in agitation before answering. "I was locked up in the cell," he explained, his voice flat and matter-of-fact as if he was recounting events that had happened to someone else. "I had been in there for God knows how long, and I didn't know how much longer he intended to keep me there. He came back with a bag of blood. I assumed it was the same as the bags from Diagon Industries. I was suspicious of it being drugged, but it smelled clean. It wasn't until after I drank it that he told me it was his own blood. I didn't know it was his. I didn't know drinking it would form a bond," he said, his voice losing its monotone at last, wavering, almost cracking.

"How could you have known?" Severus pointed out. "None of us had ever heard of such a thing." His lips twisted as he reconsidered that comment, feeling a surge of bitterness for the ignorance they had been kept in. "Except for the elders, of course. I take it he - this Gaius - knew? Did he do it just to keep you from killing him... and why was he holding you captive to begin with? Any other werewolf - well, anyone other than Remus - would have killed you on sight."

 

"He knew, yes." Regulus breathed out a long, slow sigh, seeming to relax, if only marginally. "I don't know why he didn't kill me. He kept babbling about keeping me safe. He knew I was Sirius' brother, though, so perhaps that had something to do with it. He said James told him about the bond, that it was something vampires and werewolves used to do before the war. A vampire and a werewolf would willingly exchange blood, and they would become fully bonded. Right now, this bond is only one way, but I still feel it, just not as strongly as he seems to."

"Really." Severus fell silent again, pondering what Regulus was describing. It was possible that he and Remus had unintentionally done the same thing, first through him biting Remus and then Remus taking his blood to feed. There was a difference, though, in their case, since they were already emotionally attached by the time that had taken place. No doubt that was why he hadn't really noticed. "In that case, I am most likely bound to Remus," he continued, his voice holding no concern. "Although I'm not bothered by it the way you are, understandably. So you believe he's keeping you safe because of some sense of loyalty to your brother? He must not know Sirius very well if he thinks that saving you would win him any favor with your brother."

"I have no idea what his motives are," Regulus replied with an annoyed grimace. "He kept me away from the other werewolves, so perhaps he wasn't attempting to curry favor with Sirius, but I can't see any other reason why he wouldn't kill me even if he _is_ an idealist intent on stopping the war and changing the world. None of this makes any sense!"

Severus chuckled. "You don't give yourself enough credit, my friend. I can think of one very obvious reason he might want to hold you captive, and it has nothing to do with our species being at war or not. You and I were lovers for a long time, and even though we no longer have that sort of relationship, I can assure you that you've lost none of your appeal. He could have been smitten by you, and if he's spent most of his time shut away among the more bestial members of his species, you probably seem like a god fallen to earth."

Regulus shot him a look of wide-eyed horror. "Absolutely out of the question!" He shook his head in vehement denial before continuing. "He did say something about being attracted to me, but I can't believe that was his sole reason for not killing me. Surely he knew no vampire in his right mind would..." He trailed off, glancing at Severus and seeming to think better about whatever he had intended to say. "Well, _I_ would never be interested in coupling with a mutt."

"Remus is not a mutt." Severus said the words flatly, the smile wiped from his face. Although he shouldn't really blame Regulus, since he would have probably thought the same thing himself if their situations were reversed, and he'd certainly never imagined having a werewolf as a lover, much less being in love with one. But he could honestly say that despite everything that had happened, he was happier now than he had been before, even if he wasn't pleased at all to learn about the lies and manipulation. Perhaps he ought to poke Regulus, if only to open Regulus' eyes the way his own had been opened. "And Gaius is hardly unattractive. He's articulate, well educated, and far better groomed than most of the werewolves we've encountered. Perhaps you shouldn't knock it until you've tried it. I can say without prejudice that sex with a werewolf is something that must be experienced to be believed."

"I didn't mean any offense toward your... companion," Regulus said, a conciliatory note in his voice, which was a rare occurrence. "I just..." He broke off again and shuddered. "I can't imagine how you did it. You hated them as much as I did. More, even. How could you bring yourself to touch him in the first place?"

"Perhaps because I met him as a man first, not as a werewolf," Severus replied slowly. He frowned, wondering if he would have been as accepting if he'd met Remus as Regulus had met Gaius. He wanted to believe so; Remus was Remus, and his state of immortality was only a part of the totality that made up Remus' spirit, a very small part. Remus truly hadn't changed since his turbulent transformations, at least not in any way that Severus thought mattered, so perhaps lycanthropy didn't turn men into slavering beasts the way he'd always been told; perhaps it was a more brutish type of man who tended to be turned in the first place. "But I can say he's still the same as he was, still... innocent, in many ways. He's not the monster we've been conditioned to see the lycanthropes as. I have fresh eyes now, and I can see that your Gaius has much more in common with Remus than he does with most of the werewolves we've seen before. Which makes me think that they are no more changed at heart by their transformation than we are by ours."

"Don't call him mine," Regulus retorted, but then he frowned and remained silent for a long moment, appearing lost in thought. "Perhaps they aren't really changed, but if that's true, it doesn't speak well of the usual types they recruit. They throw away the gift of immortality on brainless louts. I see nothing to respect about that." His frown deepened slightly as he added, "I have viewed them as enemies for centuries, and I can't turn off that instinctual loathing like a faucet. Unlike you, apparently. I don't even have the motivation for hating them that you did. _Thought_ you did, I suppose. I only have my brother, and he is still alive, unfortunately."

"Ah yes, your brother," Severus said, giving a snort of derision. He'd heard all about Regulus' brother, and there was something that he thought Regulus might not be considering fully. "You don't have any motivation for hating all werewolves other than the lingering prejudice instilled in you by Voldemort. Think about it, Regulus: your brother became a werewolf after being denied the opportunity to be a vampire. He did it in retaliation, out of spite, to hurt you. If it had been something else that would have hurt your family more, he would have done that instead. You're blaming the werewolves for what your brother did, when it wasn't their fault. He used them as a tool, the same way Voldemort used us; Sirius wanted to hurt you and your family, and they were simply the most convenient way to do it. You should feel sorry for them, since they've had his doubtful charms inflicted upon them all these years."

Regulus snorted at that. "You think I don't know he did it out of spite?" he replied. "I figured that out centuries ago. I loathe him, yes, but my hatred of the mutts doesn't begin or end with him; he only adds fuel to the fire. I was indoctrinated to hate them as soon as I was turned, and I've spent centuries figuring out better ways to kill them. There are werewolves out there right now that are still trying to kill us. Do you expect me to extend an olive branch to them when they come after us with guns and grenades just because one of them thinks I'm cute?"

"No, I expect you to be the same intelligent, insightful man you've always been and _think_ rather than having a knee-jerk reaction based upon misinformation perpetuated for centuries," Severus replied evenly. "You said it yourself: you were indoctrinated. You are no ignorant, hidebound moron to keep espousing a false belief once it's been proven wrong! If you were, you'd still be cranking out wooden shafts with silver tips for crossbows instead of making liquid silver bullets! I don't expect you to extend an olive branch, or at least not yet. I'm not even going to say that _I_ won't be killing any more werewolves, especially if they threaten Remus, but I'm not going to shoot first and not care about asking questions, either. It's not going to happen overnight, but I can assure you, the knowledge that Voldemort would have _hated_ knowing that vampires and werewolves had managed to overcome his lies gives me great impetus for wanting to see it happen."

Regulus fell silent again and stared out the window for another long interval. "We'll see," he said at last in a neutral tone. "I have enough to deal with in trying to assimilate all the deception and manipulation I have learned about in the last twenty-four hours without adding peace with an ancient enemy on top of it. You may not care that the mansion and everyone we know is gone, but I do. Even if we survive this foolish quest of yours, we have nowhere to return to afterward. No home, no resources, no money. Not even a change of clothes. _I_ haven't gotten so caught up in playing the hero and having sex with a rescued stray that I've forgotten the realities we face."

Severus realized that Regulus was, to an extent, lashing out because Severus really didn't care about the material side of what they faced, and he could believe that it mattered because Regulus came from wealth and had always had access to it. Severus was from far more plebeian roots, and the thought of being poor again wasn't nearly as daunting to him. Still, he thought he could offer Regulus some reassurance. 

"If we really do find Godric Gryffindor, I suspect we won't have to worry about resources any longer," he said. "Once we no longer have murderous ancients hovering over our shoulders, I know that we can rebuild or start over. You've always enjoyed a challenge; this is simply one that is a little larger than most."

That coaxed another snort out of Regulus. "I had no idea you were such an optimist. You and that werewolf ought to get along famously."

"He has a name, you know. Perhaps if you tried using it, you might find it easier to step out of the past and into the future." Severus raised a brow at Regulus. "A future which will include at least one werewolf, if you continue to remain around me."

"I don't give a damn what his name is," Regulus retorted, turning his face away from Severus. "As far as the future is concerned, we will have to see. Nothing is guaranteed, not even our continued proximity."

Sighing, Severus turned his attention back to the road. He could see the sky lightening to the east, heralding the approach of dawn. "Well, you're stuck with all of us for a few more hours at least," he said. "We need to find a place to hole up for the day. Know of any safe-houses around here? That would give us blood and weapons as well."

"There should be one coming up in the next five miles, assuming it hasn't been compromised," Regulus replied tersely.

"All right, point the way," Severus said. He paused for a moment, then gave Regulus a sidelong glance. "For what it's worth, if I had to pick only one other vampire to start over with, it would be you. I've always considered you not just a friend, but one of the most talented and intelligent of us all. Maybe my faith in your abilities is part of what makes me optimistic. I know that if I can get you behind this, you'll give it your all, and that makes me feel like there's a chance - no matter how hopeless it might look."

Regulus glanced sidelong at Severus in return, appearing slightly mollified by the compliment, but all he said was, "Just keep driving. We'll be there soon."

* * *

Remus climbed into the back of the truck as instructed, glancing warily at the werewolf, and he tucked himself in a corner on the opposite end. He wasn't sure if he ought to think of Gaius as "the werewolf" or "the other werewolf", since he was only part werewolf himself; he didn't know how to think of _himself_ , for that matter. None of the horror movies he'd seen had prepared him for life as a monster hybrid; he didn't think there was even a name for creatures like him. The annoying thing was, he couldn't even take a little comfort in being unique since Gellert was a hybrid too.

Abruptly, he realized he'd gotten caught up in his own thoughts, and he belatedly offered Gaius an uncertain smile. "Hi," he said.

Sitting with his back against one side of the truck, Gaius had simply been staring at his hands, which were neatly folded in his lap. He glanced up at Remus' words, seeming a bit surprised by the sight of Remus' smile. But he answered it with a hesitant one of his own. "Hi," he replied, then gave a wry chuckle. "Odd, isn't it, that for all our talk of trying to make the species equal, you and I end up in the back of the bus, so to speak."

"It's nothing personal," Remus replied. "Severus wants to talk to Regulus, that's all. They're old friends." He paused, debating about whether to continue, but he decided it might best to have everything out in the open. "They were lovers too, but that was a long time ago. It may help, though. Severus might be able to talk some sense into him."

"That would be nice," Gaius replied with a sigh. He lifted a hand to rub at his forehead. "I've tried, but he simply can't see past what I am to _who_ I am. For all that he hates his brother, he's just as stupidly pigheaded in some ways. They both drive me mad, but in different ways. And for different reasons."

"Who's his brother?" Remus asked, curious despite himself.

"Sirius. He's the leader of the werewolves now." An expression of sadness crossed Gaius' face. "He turned me into a werewolf. We were friends, but somewhere along the line, his obsession with killing vampires drove a wedge between us. He is Regulus' older brother, and he thought he was the one who should have been given the opportunity to become a vampire. They choose one child from each generation, you see - a family tradition. When he was passed over, he went out and got himself bitten by a werewolf. Now I think he and Regulus might be trying to carry on their childhood rivalry through the rest of us."

"I hope not," Remus replied pensively. "Maybe Severus will be able to convince him to let it go. I trust Severus' judgment. If Severus likes him, there must be something more to him than just a brainwashed killer." He studied Gaius for a moment, trying to reconcile what he knew about the werewolves to everything he'd seen of Gaius so far. "Why did you do it? Become a werewolf, I mean." He smiled wryly. "I don't mean to sound insulting, but you lot are responsible for me being bitten, tied up, and used as a science experiment, so I didn't form a good first impression."

Gaius winced at that, and the look he gave Remus was apologetic. "I'm sorry about that," he said, rubbing at his forehead again. "That wasn't in the plan. James was supposed to bring you to us, explain his plan, and ask for your cooperation. Unfortunately the vampires got to you first, and he was afraid they were going to kill you. He needed your blood to try to become... well, what _you_ are. So that he could defeat Voldemort, and, hopefully, bring an end to the war. He had an agreement with Lucius, you see. He was certain we could end this war once and for all before we were all destroyed."

"We found out about the agreement with Lucius," Remus said, nodding. "He wanted to overthrow the elders and take control of the vampires himself. He's the one who arranged for Bellatrix's murder, you know. He probably would have betrayed James too, once James was no longer useful or seemed to be a threat." He drew his knees up under his chin and wrapped his arms around his legs, sighing quietly. "The vampires didn't get to me. Severus realized I was being followed by werewolves, and he wanted to know why, that's all. He protected me when the werewolves came after me, and James didn't explain anything. He just attacked me and bit me. That's when I found out I was a werewolf," he said softly, feeling a little wave of melancholy tinged with regret when he remembered how quickly and inexorably his life had been turned upside-down. "I wasn't given a choice about anything. Then Lucius shot me with the liquid silver bullets, and Severus had to bite me. I would have died otherwise, and I wasn't ready for that. But I wasn't prepared for what would happen to me afterward, either."

"Was it terrible, then?" Gaius asked softly. "I really am sorry for what happened to you. I don't know if it matters, but I don't think James would have done it unless he saw no other choice. See? This is what war and misunderstanding does! It destroys lives, even mortal lives." He banged his balled up fist on the floor of the truck, looking genuinely angry. "James' greatest fault was not controlling who was turned into werewolves and why. But he didn't want to be Voldemort, didn't want to be a dictator. He offered the werewolves the truth, but he underestimated their desire to hear it. So the war kept going... a bunch of meaningless deaths for no reason other than Voldemort perpetuating his hatred for James - hatred born of Voldemort's daughter's love!"

"You're preaching to the choir," Remus said dryly, resting his chin on his knees. "I'm against death and fighting. All I want is to find someplace quiet to breathe, figure out who and what I am, and have lots of sex with Severus. I don't care about the war or taking sides. I just want it to be over."

"So do I. I've wanted it for a hundred years." Gaius sighed again, then mirrored Remus' pose. "You asked why I became a werewolf. I was a teacher, I specialized in literature and mythology. I always loved digging about in old papers and books, and I found evidence that creatures existed that we thought were only fantasy. I went looking for them, and I found the werewolves... and Sirius offered to make me one of them. How could I refuse? Immortality, and the chance to find out all the things that were hidden from mortal eyes... I jumped at the chance."

"I don't get it." Remus studied him intently for a moment before speaking again, his tone frank but not unkind. "I don't understand why anyone would choose this life. Maybe because I've only seen one side of it, but the only good thing to come out of it for me is Severus. I'd give up the strength and even the immortality to have my life back, to feel normal again, to feel _human_ again. To eat a hamburger instead of being forced to drink blood for the rest of my life. It _sucks_!" He paused, then laughed wryly. "No pun intended."

That coaxed another small chuckle from the other werewolf, but then Gaius sighed and shrugged. "Why? Perhaps because, a hundred or so years ago, this life seemed more attractive. This was in the days before cars and television and such, and our knowledge of the world was more limited to the places we lived or happened to visit. I don't know how it feels to be a vampire, since as a werewolf, I can still do most of the things I could as a man, but I'm sure there must be compensations. And you must keep your perspective, I think. As a man, you enjoyed eating, but were you defined by it? I rather think not. You were defined by your thoughts and actions, which is no different for you now. Certainly there are parts which are different, such as the drinking blood to sustain yourself, but the fact of the matter is, you have two choices; you can deal with this and make the best possible life for yourself of it, or you can spent eternity wishing it were different. Even those of us who chose to become immortals had to deal with that particular choice as well. Believe me, I had regrets of my own at first, and I probably was better informed than most."

"Severus said there were compensations." Remus inclined his head to acknowledge the point. "I suppose the problem for me is that I haven't seen any of them yet. Ever since James bit me-" Memories of James lunging at him and the searing pain of the bite rose up and made him shudder. "-I've done nothing but run, hide, or fight for my life when I wasn't being strapped down and experimented upon. Not to mention, James forced my first transformation. No warning, no easing into it, no telling me what to expect. He treated me like I was nothing more than a pawn - a _tool_ \- to be used for his convenience, so I don't believe he ever intended to approach me and _ask_ for my cooperation. Except for Severus, it's been nothing but pain and violence and fear, and now I'm this big, blue hybrid freak that doesn't fit in anywhere anymore. Not with vampires, werewolves, or humans," he said softly, tightening his arms around himself in an unconscious self-comforting gesture. "In a way, I feel like I've been violated. I've tried to deal with what's happened and make the best of it, because I haven't had time to indulge in a breakdown, but..." He rested his forehead on his knees, and his next words were muffled. "I'm tired."

There was the sound of movement, and then a warm arm came to rest tentatively around Remus' shoulders. "It's not surprising," Gaius said softly. "You've been through a lot, and I wish there was some way I could help. For what it's worth, I certainly wouldn't have agreed with James' treatment of you, since I am singularly squeamish about any sort of violence. But I will say this: your Severus must love you very much. In all the years I've been a werewolf, I've never heard so much as a hint outside James' feelings for Lily about any vampire offering a werewolf mercy, much less wanting to take one as a lover. I know Severus is old, very old, for all the Death Eaters were. He gave up a centuries old prejudice for you in the space of a day; that speaks to just how special you are."

Remus lifted his head and smiled at Gaius, and he didn't flinch away from the touch; he may not have had very good experiences with the werewolves, but he didn't hate them either, and the comfort was welcome, especially since Severus wasn't available at the moment. "I don't think I'm special, but I _am_ lucky," he said. "I'd be dead now if it wasn't for Severus. He's the one good thing to come out of all this, and I'm grateful he's been so patient and protective."

Gaius returned the smile. "You're lucky," he said somewhat wistfully. "You must have found the one vampire in the world who is willing to accept you for what you are, or at least look beyond it to see the man inside."

"It was timing, I think," Remus replied. "We met before James bit me, and he admitted he was attracted to me from the start." He studied Gaius silently for a moment, thinking about the bond that had apparently upset Regulus so much. "Give it time," he said softly. "I'm sure Severus is giving him a good talking to, and he's had a lot to deal with too. Maybe when he settles down, he'll be able to see you. _Really_ see you." He cocked his head, regarding Gaius quizzically. "Is that really what you want, though? Did the bond cause you to feel that way?"

The smile slipped, and Gaius sighed, lowering his gaze. "I hope so, but I'm not counting on it. And no, the bond didn't make me feel this way. I felt it before, from the moment I saw him. But it goes back longer than that, in a way. Regulus' brother, Sirius, hated his brother, but he kept a small painting of him in his room. A portrait of Regulus as a young man. I used to look at that painting, and it haunted me. _He_ haunted me. Those eyes of his... they fascinated me. I would even dream about him sometimes, as ridiculous as that seems. Then he was there, in the flesh, right in front of me, and I couldn't help myself. I _had_ to keep him safe from the others, and I knew he wasn't about to accept that willingly. So I locked him up. But it wasn't until later that I thought of the bond. I didn't even know it would work until I tried it, and it did, but it's only enhanced feelings that were already there."

"Wow..." Remus felt a surge of sympathy for Gaius; as difficult as things had been for him lately, at least he hadn't suffered an unrequited attraction on top of it. "I'm sorry," he said, giving in to impulse and sliding his arm around Gaius in return. "If there's anything I can do to help, I'll be glad to do it. At least the bond seems to be working on him a little bit. Maybe the longer it lasts, the more it'll help wear down his resistance." 

"Perhaps. I hope so," Gaius replied, before giving a rueful chuckle. "You realize we're probably the only two werewolves in the world who are hung up on a couple of vampires. According to James, though, it wasn't at all uncommon back before the war, or at least until Voldemort began his campaign of rumors and lies, making it seem as though werewolves were inferior to vampires. Until then we had been equals. Partners. The werewolves protected the vampires during the day and offered up their own blood in times of need. I can fully believe that many of the bonds were among lovers, given how powerful it is. I can barely tolerate him out of my sight... and the fact that he doesn't want me is like a knife in the gut."

Remus listened with growing interest, fascinated by this insight into the past; he wasn't surprised that Voldemort was the one who had caused all the trouble, but perhaps the damage could be undone. He rather liked the idea of vampires and werewolves being equal again, and it would give the two species a stronger chance of surviving and rebuilding if they worked together. He wondered if perhaps he and Severus had inadvertently created a bond or if it wouldn't work because he was different. He wouldn't mind if they had; he doubted anything could cause him to be more attached to Severus than he already was, but forging a bond such as the one Gaius had described would add a deeper layer to their relationship that he would welcome, if it existed. 

"Maybe he'll get used to it," Remus suggested, wishing he could say something more reassuring. "It's a new bond, after all. Just because he's fighting it now doesn't mean he'll keep fighting it."

"If he's as stubborn as his brother, he'll fight it even if it kills him," Gaius replied morosely. Then he gave a sad half smile. "But I'm not without hope. I've been told I'm too optimistic for my own good, you see. If we manage to survive finding Godric and dealing with Gellert, perhaps I'll get a chance to find out."

"Well, that's the biggest immediate hurdle," Remus said, chuckling. "If Severus can convince Regulus to help us, then it'll be four of us working together. Surely we can combine our resources and beat the bad guys. Then we can work on convincing Regulus he can't live without you." 

"He can live without me," Gaius sighed. "I don't think I can live without him, though. So long as he is here, with the two of you, I'll be here and I'll help. But if he decides to go, I'll have to go with him. I won't be able to help myself. So I hope that your Severus is very persuasive."

"So do I," Remus said. "We need all the help we can get when it comes to Gellert." He gave Gaius a little squeeze and offered him a reassuring smile. "Where's that optimism, though? Even if Regulus is fighting the bond right now, he's still bound to you, and I know Severus is explaining why continuing to hate werewolves is foolish and pointless. Maybe he's even talking up the benefits of werewolf lovin'," he added with a playful waggle of his eyebrows. "I'm sure he's giving Regulus something to think about, at least, and I'll help too once we aren't stuck in the back of the truck."

"Thank you." Gaius returned the squeeze, his lips curving upward once more. "If you and Severus manage to convince him, I'll owe you a very large debt. A debt I will be more than happy to assume if I get Regulus in the bargain. I think it would be a good start, the four of us. We could build something better for those who come after us."

"I think that would be great," Remus agreed, nodding with approval for the idea. "We know what mistakes Voldemort, Gellert, James, and Lucius made, so we can avoid making them the second time around. I'd like to start over somewhere peaceful and quiet, where our lives won't be controlled by war or senseless power games. I know Severus is tired of all the fighting. Maybe when he sees what life could be like without it, Regulus will realize he's better off without it too."

"We'd all be better off without it, definitely." Gaius sighed and shook his head. "So many lives wasted, all because of the duplicity and prejudice of a single man. This is what ignorance and hatred breeds, whether we are mortals or immortals. We could have been doing good things with our long lives. Perhaps even keeping the mortals from killing themselves, instead of engaging in the senseless slaughter of each other."

"Well, let's not aim _too_ high," Remus said, smiling wryly. "I'll settle for ending the in-fighting."

"Agreed," Gaius replied, answering Remus' smile. "Start at the bottom and work our way up, that's the key to success." He was quiet for a moment, then he seemed to gather himself, a faint flush blooming in his cheeks. "Um... if you don't mind me asking... what is it like? Being with a vampire, I mean."

Remus blinked, surprised by the unexpected question, but then he gave it serious consideration; he didn't mind answering, if talking about it wouldn't bother Gaius too much. "It's... uh... different," he said at last, feeling a bit of heat in his own cheeks as he tried to decide on the best way to describe the experience. "I wasn't exactly inexperienced, but having sex with Severus isn't like anything I'd ever experienced before. It's a lot more intense, for one thing. I mean, there's the strength thing, of course, so we can be rough if we want to be, and he really likes biting. Giving and receiving, I should say, not just giving. I'm not that keen on it, but I'm still trying to get used to drinking blood."

"Oh." Gaius' eyes widened, and his breathing seemed to speed up. "That's... interesting to know." He flushed darker, and his tone became wistful. "I like to bite, too. Unfortunately even if Regulus does accept me, that isn't something we'll be able to do. I don't have your blood, so his bite would kill me."

"I'm sorry," Remus said, giving him a sympathetic look, and then he tried to think of what else he could tell Gaius about having sex with a vampire. His face lit up as a thought occurred to him, and he turned to Gaius excitedly. "Warmth! That's one of the first things Severus said he liked about me: I'm still warm. He said one reason why his relationship with Regulus didn't last was because they were both vampires - both cold. He _really_ likes snuggling up to my warmth while he sleeps. I'll bet if Severus likes it, Regulus might like it too." 

"Really?" Gaius looked more hopeful at that, and then a devious smile curved his lips. "Perhaps I'll have to try cuddling up while he sleeps and see if he does like it. Purely as a scientific experiment, you know."

Remus chuckled and patted Gaius' shoulder. "It couldn't hurt," he said, "and it might help. At least, it might show him what he's missing." He sighed quietly, feeling a little stir of arousal after thinking about Severus and sex, and he wished he hadn't let his own doubts and issues get in the way the night before; it might be a while before they had either the privacy or the leisure time to indulge their desires again, and they hadn't had nearly enough opportunities before, in Remus' opinion. "Anyway, just be patient with him and do what you can to slip under his guard. With the bond on your side, you've got an advantage, and time and proximity may well do the rest."

"I will." Gaius nodded, then he gave Remus another small squeeze. "Thank you. I meant to help you, and you ended up helping me. I'm still sorry for the circumstances, but I'm glad to have met you, Remus."

"It's been nice meeting a werewolf who hasn't tried to hurt me," Remus said with a wry smile. "You're a nice guy, Gaius, and I like you already. I hope Regulus actually deserves you."

"Thanks. You're a nice guy, too, Remus," Gaius replied, then laughed. "And you give me hope that nice guys don't always finish last!"


	6. Chapter 6

Eyes narrowed, Sirius stood with his hands on his hips and looked around the cell. His lip curled as he sniffed, detecting a scent he'd not smelled in hundred of years. It fairly screamed _family_ , and he recognized it without an doubt whatsoever. Regulus. His brother.

He didn't even have to wonder what Regulus had been doing there, staying in a part of the werewolves' lair that was rarely used, because the scent of Gaius was there as well. When Sirius had returned from his mission to slaughter as many vampires as possible - and there were distressingly few to be found - he'd gone in search of Gaius. They'd found other things in their night of raiding and pillaging, and he wanted Gaius to look at them and give his opinion, since Gaius, while an annoyingly pacifistic dolt, was the most educated of them all. But Gaius wasn't in his room, and Sirius had found his scent, following it first to the infirmary and then down to an unused part of the tunnels, ending up in this cell. Somehow, Gaius had captured Regulus and must have held him here for well over a day, although how he'd managed it when Sirius had no doubt that Regulus probably wanted to tear Gaius limb from limb was still a mystery.

Sirius frowned. Unless Regulus hadn't been a prisoner, and Gaius had sold out to the vampires, hiding Regulus down here so that Regulus could attack the werewolves. Was Gaius' passivity nothing but a ruse? Was he really a spy for their enemies? Had their plans been foiled when Voldemort was destroyed, and everything had collapsed into chaos?

Unfortunately scents didn't disclose motives, but as Sirius prowled around the cell, he found an empty bag of blood, one with Gaius' scent and Regulus' intermingled. Gaius had fed Regulus, then, and his own blood from the smell of it. That made Sirius growl as something tickled the back of his mind, but then he was distracted by two new scents. Two other people had been here, one of them a vampire, and the other... the other was that human, the one James had held! Gaius _was_ in league with the enemy, and Sirius' growl escalated into a full-throated howl of fury.

 _He_ was the leader! Gaius must be punished for his disobedience! Not only that, it was far past the time when Sirius should have dealt with Regulus. Gaius may have wanted to end the war, but there was no way that Sirius was going to let that happen. He was going to find them, and when he did, he was going to kill them all.... preferably with his bare hands.

Throwing down the empty blood bag with a snarl of disgust, Sirius stalked off toward Gaius' room again. He knew that Gaius had researched many things for James, and if there was any clue as to where they'd gone, he felt it would be in Gaius' incessant scribbles. If there were only four of them, they'd need help, so all Sirius had to do was figure out where they'd gone to find it. Then he'd find them.

And when he did, it was going to mean death. Especially for Gaius, the traitor, and for Regulus. In the case of his brother, Sirius would make sure it was as protracted and painful as possible, because Regulus owed him. And Sirius was determined that Regulus was going to pay in blood.

* * *

Remus closed his eyes as he stood under the hot water and let it wash away the aches and pains of the day; despite the physical improvements he'd gained since his transformations, he still wasn't accustomed to being on the move so much, and he felt like the dank musk of the werewolves' tunnels still clung to his skin. Fortunately for all of them, the safe-house had not been compromised; it was large enough to have two bathrooms, and it was fully stocked with weapons, blood, clothes, and even normal food, which helped, since Gaius was the only one of them who didn't drink blood.

Almost as soon as they entered the house and determined its safety, Regulus had claimed one of the bathrooms, and Severus had shooed Remus off to the second one, and Remus had been glad to obey. He hoped perhaps Severus might join him, but even if he ended up showering alone, he enjoyed the opportunity to do something simple, normal, and familiar for a change.

There was a barely audible click as the bathroom door opened, then a slightly louder one as it closed again. Silence for a moment, then the opaque door of the shower stall opened and Severus - naked except for a wicked smirk - stepped inside. "Mind if I join you?" he asked, his voice deep and husky. "I thought you might want someone to scrub your back."

Remus glanced over his shoulder and smiled, a little curl of excitement blooming in his stomach as he moved to make room for Severus. "I'd love it," he said huskily, offering a soapy washcloth. "I'll be happy to scrub anything of yours that needs scrubbing, too."

Severus took the washcloth, moving closer crowding Remus against the wall of the shower. "How could I refuse an offer like that?" he murmured, his lips close to Remus' ear. Then Remus felt the washcloth at his shoulders as Severus ran it in slow circles over his skin. "Do you like that? Or do you want it harder?"

Shivering at the pleasure evoked by the slow, gentle caresses, Remus arched against Severus' hand and tilted his head back to smile up coyly up at Severus. "Harder," he said, reaching back to stroke Severus' bare hip. "I like it when you're rough with me."

A sultry chuckle greeted Remus' remark, then Severus leaned closer and kissed the corner of Remus' mouth. "You are a wicked temptation," Severus said, before straightening and rubbing harder at Remus' back, traveling downward toward his arse. "I can barely keep my hands off of you even when you're fully dressed. There's no way I can resist you like this."

Chuckling, Remus wriggled provocatively against Severus. "Good," he replied, sounding breathless even to his own ears. "I'd already kicked myself earlier for wasting time last night. I'm glad we have time for a little fun tonight to make up for it."

"Good. I am, too." Severus continued to rub the washcloth over his back, then he moved it around to Remus' stomach, stepping closer so that he could wrap his arm around Remus and press against his back, leaving Remus in no doubt as to the state of his arousal. "Although I hope it's more than just a _little_ fun." 

"Oh, it's definitely more than a little." Remus leaned against Severus and curved one arm up and back, wrapping it around Severus' neck, and he arched a little, putting himself on display in hopes of tantalizing Severus further. "And I want it a _lot_."

The washcloth fell to the bottom of the shower stall with a plop, and then Severus wound both arms around him, hands splayed on Remus' abdomen, circling in the slickness of the suds. Severus' voice, normally so smooth, was ragged when he spoke again. "I want you a lot, too." The circling hands moved lower, one to either side of Remus' groin. Severus pushed Remus' hips back as he thrust his own forward, teasing Remus with a wriggle of his own. 

"Then take what you want," Remus said, his words punctuated by a moan as he rocked against Severus, eager for more. "Whatever you want, it's yours. All yours."

"All I want is you," Severus replied, before his mouth descended to the juncture of Remus' neck and shoulder. He let Remus feel the hardness of his fangs a moment before he bit down, moaning deeply in his throat as his teeth pierced Remus' skin, but apparently Severus' intent was just to tease, because he didn't increase the pressure. Instead his fangs retracted, and he placed his lips where he had bitten in a tender kiss. "Still my favorite flavor," Severus purred. "I believe I've developed quite a sweet tooth."

Remus tilted his head to accommodate the kiss, humming softly with pleasure. "Flatterer," he replied, smiling up at Severus again. "You don't have to sweet-talk me; I'm already naked and willing."

With a chuckle, Severus reached toward one side of the shower where a series of shelves held all manner of bath gels, shampoos, conditioners, and lotions. He selected a bottle, opening it with a snap. Then Remus felt the slide of Severus' long, strong fingers as they caressed down his arse and then began to circle. Slowly Severus prepared him, taking his time about it, teasing in an apparent effort to drive Remus mad. "Do you want me?" Severus asked, pushing in and then withdrawing his finger slowly. 

"Yes!" Remus tried valiantly not to wriggle and squirm, but he was having a hard time keeping still as his arousal grew. Even though they hadn't had time for nearly as much intimacy as either of them wanted, Severus already knew where and how to touch him, and he wanted more - much, much more. He braced both hands against the wall and looked over his shoulder at Severus, his breathing already growing shallow and ragged. "Yes, I want you," he said, a hint of a growl underlying his voice.

Severus' eyes glittered with desire. "Good," he said, baring his teeth in a wicked grin. Remus felt a hand at his hip, then Severus was pressing forward slowly, so very slowly, entering his body and filling him in one long, smooth thrust.

"Yes..." Remus rocked back, wanting to send Severus even deeper; he'd never felt anything that felt as good as Severus buried deep within him, and he didn't care whether it was due to their supernatural natures, the bond, or natural chemistry. He just wanted more - more of Severus' bare skin sliding against his, more of Severus' hands caressing him, more of Severus filling and fulfilling him. "More, _please_. Feels so good, Severus..."

"Yes, it does," Severus said raggedly. " _You_ feel good. Wonderful." Severus moved his free hand around the jut of Remus' hip, encircling his arousal. "I will give you everything you want." With that, he began to move, slowly at first, his hand stroking Remus in counterpoint, then faster, harder, not holding anything back.

Caught up in the exquisite pleasure, Remus surrendered to the ecstasy Severus was wringing from his willing body, moving with Severus, silently offering himself - body, heart, and soul - to Severus, not wanting to hold anything back. He'd never been so open or vulnerable with any lover before Severus, but it felt right and safe, and he wasn't afraid. A growl rumbled in his chest, growing louder as his arousal built, escalating to a howl when his body could stand no more, and he shattered, giving Severus all of his pleasure - all of himself - as he came undone in Severus' arms.

Severus continued to stroke him as he came down from the peak, then Severus' lips pressed against his ear. "So beautiful," Severus murmured. "My Remus."

Then Severus began to move again, claiming Remus with deep, powerful thrusts of his hips. It didn't take long before Severus buried himself deeply one last time, crying out Remus' name. He wrapped his arms around Remus' waist, holding Remus close and tight as though he never wanted to let go.

Pushing away from the wall, Remus leaned against Severus again, still growling - a soft, contented sound this time - and stroked Severus' arms gently. "My Severus," he murmured, resting his head back on Severus' shoulder. "Thank you. I needed that more than I realized."

"You are more than welcome," Severus replied, his hands caressing Remus' stomach again. "I needed you, too. You are the only thing that makes all this worth anything." 

Remus turned in Severus' embrace and wound his arms around Severus' neck, gazing up at him with unfettered affection. "I can say the same. I'd be dead or insane by now if it wasn't for you. As overwhelming as all this has been, I've been able to keep my head above water thanks to you - my one safe touchstone in the midst of all this madness."

Severus' expression was soft, which should have looked odd on his harsh, angular face, but somehow t didn't. "I want to be there for you, always. If it weren't for you, I would never have had my eyes opened to the truth, and that matters a great deal to me. I know you wouldn't lie to me. I trust you as I've never trusted anyone before."

Feeling a bloom of tender warmth in his chest at the words, Remus cupped Severus' cheek in his palm and caressed it gently. "No, I'll never lie to you. There's no need for deception or manipulation between us, and I know you've had more than enough of both." He craned up and brushed a light kiss against Severus' lips before returning for a deeper taste, unable to hold back a soft moan despite his recent satiation. "Are we bonded, do you think?" he asked when he drew back, gazing up at Severus questioningly.

"I don't know. Perhaps," Severus replied. He gave Remus a squeeze, his eyes warm. "If we are, it only deepened something that was there already; it didn't induce the attachment, unlike Regulus' reluctant feelings toward his werewolf." He inclined his head. "Would you mind it if we are? I certainly don't. Anything that brings us closer is welcome as far as I am concerned."

"No, I don't mind," Remus assured him hastily. "Of everything that's happened against my will lately, that's one I _don't_ object to. Like you said, it acted on what was already there. I was just curious, because I'm not really a werewolf. Not completely, I mean. I wasn't sure if a bond would work with me because I'm part vampire too." He reached for a washcloth and soaped it thoroughly, deciding they probably ought to finish cleaning up before the hot water ran out. "So Regulus is still balking at the bond, I take it?" he asked as he began to scrub Severus' shoulders, arms, and chest. "Did he agree to come with us, at least?"

"For now." Severus arched into the scrubbing like a big, lean cat. "And he is definitely balking, which is understandable. He has as much reason to hate werewolves as I did, and he's had none of the incentive to change that opinion." Dark eyes raked down Remus' body in a heated glance before returning to his face. "He also is experiencing this second hand. He wasn't there, and he didn't see what happened. It's much more difficult for him to accept than it was for me."

Remus enjoyed watching Severus arch with pleasure, and he scrubbed harder and moved lower on Severus' body; he liked taking care of Severus and indulging him in the kind of little pleasures he doubted Severus had enjoyed in a long time, if ever. "I'm sure it is," he agreed, and he smiled mischievously up at Severus as he crouched down to wash Severus' legs. "I've provided _plenty_ of incentive for you to change your opinion, I think."

The heat in Severus' eyes intensified as he looked down at Remus. "Indeed you have," he replied, reaching down with one hand to bury it in Remus' hair, sifting the wet strands through his fingers. "Although I was attracted to you even before you were bitten, so that might have something to do with it. I won't claim that I suddenly care to have a pack of lycanthropes over for tea, but I can detach myself from the hatred I felt because I know they didn't do what I had been led to believe. Whereas Regulus, like you, has been directly harmed by them recently. James sent werewolves to slaughter Bellatrix, our third vampire elder. Bellatrix was Regulus' kinswoman; he was completely loyal to her, and she is the one who made him a vampire."

Remus leaned into the touch even as he continued washing Severus with tender care. "Maybe it was part of Lucius' plan to take out the elders and gain control," he pointed out. "I'd be more angry with Lucius than the werewolves, if I was Regulus. I can see why it's more difficult for him to accept the truth, though. He hasn't realized the benefits of having a sexy werewolf by his side," he added, a teasing note in his voice as he rose to his feet again. "Turn around, and I'll scrub your back."

"That's because the sexiest werewolf is all _mine_ ," Severus replied, a possessive note in his voice. He turned to face the tiled wall, glancing back over his shoulder at Remus with a raised brow. "I suspect he'll come around, although it might take some time. He's quite a brilliant engineer, actually, at least the the field of weaponry. He came up with the liquid silver rounds in less than a day. My only regret about that is that Lucius used them on you."

"I regret that too!" Remus smiled wryly. "But it turned out all right in the end," he continued as he moved closer and began to scrub Severus' back slowly and thoroughly, taking pleasure in looking and touching his fill - a rare luxury. "If he could replicate those bullets in a day, he's definitely got a good mind. We need someone like that, not only to help in fighting Gellert, but afterward. Maybe we shouldn't think about going back," he said thoughtfully. "I mean, there's no guarantee we'd ever be able to convince the rest of the werewolves to give up the war. It might be easier to start over somewhere else, far away from the old battlegrounds."

"I like that thought," Severus murmured. He turned his head, letting it drop forward as Remus worked on his back, a vulnerable stance that no doubt Severus wouldn't assume with anyone else. "Regulus seems obsessed with finding the remnants of our clan, but I don't really care. They were Voldemort's people, or Lucius' lackeys, and while I don't hate them, I feel no loyalty to them, either. And I've never turned anyone... well, until you. But I mean there is no one besides Regulus whom I feel any need to protect, so going to a new place and starting over suits me fine."

Remus craned up and nuzzled kisses on the nape of Severus' neck, unable to resist the temptation that vulnerable expanse of skin presented. "Good," he said, smiling as he resumed his scrubbing. "I think it would best for all of us. Regulus could go back to look on his own if he wants to, but he might have a change of heart by the time this is all over. Trauma tends to create drastic shifts in perspective. Or so I've found at least."

Severus shivered at the press of Remus' lips, a small gasp escaping him, but he didn't move. "I agree, having suffered a trauma or two myself. We'll just have to see what happens over time; there are no guarantees, after all. I just hope that we can get out of this alive."

"So do I." Emboldened by Severus' reaction, Remus decided to give in to impulse; lifting himself up on his toes, he brushed Severus' hair aside and grazed his teeth along the back of Severus' neck, not with his fangs but with his own teeth. "But since we don't know, I think it's a good idea to live in the moment and enjoy the time we have, don't you?"

Remus' teeth wrung a moan from Severus' throat, his hands clenching on the tile. "Yessss...." The sound was a low hiss as Severus lifted his head once more, looking at Remus with glittering eyes. "I want to enjoy it fully. We can live this night as though it were our last."

"I'm in favor of that," Remus replied, smiling wickedly as he let his hand stray lower so he could grope Severus' backside. "How long do we have until sunrise? Is there enough time for you to make me howl again?"

Severus' eyes narrowed. "Or you could make me howl," he replied, wriggling his arse against Remus' hand. "If you'd like to, that is. I'm flexible."

Remus paused, surprised by the offer; Severus hadn't shown any inclination to bottom before, which was fine with Remus since he preferred bottoming anyway, and he found Severus' aggressiveness and intensity a toe-curling turn-on, but he didn't mind giving topping a try if Severus desired it.

"Would you like that?" he asked, regarding Severus curiously as he caressed Severus' bare hip.

"Yes," Severus replied quietly. "I want to experience you in every way."

Remus felt that warm, melty feeling in his chest again at that; perhaps it was foolish of him to let himself go all gooey, but Severus wasn't the effusive type, so when he said things like that, Remus knew he meant them.

"I can't possibly refuse a request like that," he murmured, nuzzling his cheek against Severus' shoulder affectionately. "I don't have a lot of experience with topping, so if I do something you don't like, tell me," he added, dropping the washcloth and sliding his soapy hands down Severus' chest and caressing his stomach, feeling the muscles quivering beneath his palms.

"You'll do fine," Severus said huskily, pressing back against Remus eagerly. "I just want to feel you touching me, feel your warmth everywhere, consuming me, surrounding me, filling me."

Remus immediately obliged by plastering himself against Severus' back, making sure they were touching everywhere possible, and he continued stroking Severus' stomach gently. "Does it really feel that good?" he asked, momentarily distracted by curiosity. "The warmth, I mean. Do I warm you?"

"Yes... in more ways than one," Severus replied. He reached back behind him to stroke Remus' hip. "I can never see the sun again, but I remember it. I remember how it felt after a long, cold winter, to walk outside and just bask in the warmth, letting it banish any lingering chill. You make me feel the same way. And not only when you touch me."

Winding his arms around Severus, Remus embraced him tightly; there were any number of things he could have said, but none of them would come close to expressing how he felt about the honor Severus had bestowed on him in allowing him to get so close. He didn't need to know the details of Severus' history to know Severus had been a private man, and he felt quite lucky indeed that he had earned Severus' trust and esteem.

The time for words was over, he decided, and he slid one hand up to tease Severus' nipple while he slid his other hand down to see if Severus' boasting about immortals' recuperation time was true.

It was.


	7. Chapter 7

Once Regulus had taken himself off to one bathroom and Remus - followed shortly by Severus - had gone off to the other, Gaius used the supplies in the small pantry of the safe-house to make himself a meal. He hadn't realized he was starving until the smell of the tinned stew made his mouth water, and he wasted no time dumping it into a bowl and giving it a quick warm in the microwave. As he shoveled it into his mouth, he walked around the central room, impressed despite himself with the level of preparation the vampires had gone to for the comfort of any of their clan caught away from the main house at sunrise.

Not everything was just for a quick daytime nap, either; in addition to bags of the blood substitute the vampires fed on, there was food for mortals and even canned food for dogs, although he wasn't certain if it was meant for actual canines or as a slap to any werewolf prisoners they might bring here. There were weapons as well, and an array of devices that Gaius preferred not to examine too closely. Torture implements hadn't changed very much over the centuries, except for crude iron and brass giving way to gleaming surgical steel.

They'd need the weapons, though, and it wouldn't hurt to bring some of the bags of blood with them, just in case the vampires, and Remus, for that matter, needed it. Gaius finished the stew, then washed out the bowl, drying it and putting it away before turning his attention to assembling the things he thought they would need for the next night. It would occupy his time usefully and keep his mind off of the tantalizing sounds of Regulus moving under the water in the bathroom, sounds which conjured up all too vivid images in his mind of things he'd probably never be allowed to see.

Unfortunately the task of gathering a cooler and filling it with bags of red glop didn't completely occupy his mind, and he found himself unable to keep his thoughts off Regulus. The talk with Remus had been helpful, but for once, Gaius found his unfailing optimism sorely tried. He didn't know why he had expected Regulus to react differently, but he had. It was a foolish, romantic notion, and he berated himself for it. He was far, far too old to let himself become all twisted up inside over someone in a painting, someone who was obviously far different in the flesh from the image Gaius had built up in his mind. 

There was no denying Regulus' appeal, though. Gaius had felt it from the moment he'd seen him, and the bond had only strengthened the attraction. He wanted nothing more than to be with Regulus, even though the cutting words the vampire directed at him where like knives thrust into his gut. At this point, he had no idea what he was going to do, other than follow wherever Regulus led. It was all he could do.

Turning his attention to the weapons racks, Gaius stood in front of them, biting his lip uncertainly. He had no idea what of these they should take; hell, he barely recognized what some of them _were_. He was out of his depth, in more ways than one. He heard Regulus approaching and turned to see Regulus standing a short distance away, dressed in clean clothes - all black - and still toweling off his long, curly hair.

"What are you doing?" Regulus demanded, an accusatory note in his voice.

"Trying to determine if _that_ \- " he pointed at something that looked like a cross between a blow dryer and a milk jug " - is a weapon or something designed for a futuristic hair salon." Gaius smiled, refusing to be baited by Regulus' tone. "I packed up some of the blood substitute for you three fangfaces, and a sandwich for me. I doubt we'll have time for a moonlit picnic, but it might come in handy."

Regulus narrowed his eyes dangerously. "Do not call us 'fangfaces'."

Gaius straightened. "You call me and my kind 'mutts'. Is civility expected from only one side of a conversation and not the other?"

"When it comes to your kind, yes," Regulus retorted. "The lot of you have shown you have no regard for civility."

Sighing, Gaius shook his head. "I beg to differ, at least in my own case. I have been nothing but civil to you, for all the good it has done me." He wasn't up to yet another debate with Regulus, not when every insult and nasty look cut him to the quick. He was tired, and he might not survive the next day; he desperately wished that what could be his last night of life could be spent pleasantly. Preferably in Regulus' arms, although that was nothing but a fantasy.

Turning away, Gaius moved to the small bookcase next to the pantry, examining the titles without really seeing them. He selected a book at random, then moved to one of the chairs in the central area, settling down in it and opening the book. He didn't think he could read, but it beat standing there fidgeting with the need to touch Regulus. He couldn't do it; he'd need his head to be still on his shoulders when it came time to fight.

"So civil you started howling like a beast in heat," Regulus said scathingly. "I heard you while I was in the shower. Everyone in a five mile radius probably heard you!"

Looking up from his book, Gaius lifted a brow, his lips quirked in amusement. Regulus really had no clue. "In heat is probably right, but it wasn't me. That was Remus, and I can only imagine what his vampire lover was doing to make him sound so... enthusiastic."

"Oh...? _Oh_." Regulus' pale eyes widened, and he glanced in the direction of the other bathroom, from which neither Remus nor Severus had yet emerged; Gaius thought he even saw a hint of a flush in Regulus' cheeks. "I see."

"And I see, too. Your civility doesn't extend to an apology, does it?" Suddenly Gaius had had quite enough. He was a mild man, one not inclined to confrontations, but Regulus had finally pushed him too far. Putting aside his book, he rose to his feet. "You want to know what your problem is, Regulus Black? Your problem is that you hate your brother, and you are _exactly_ like him! Just as unyielding, inflexible, and incapable of admitting you can be wrong about _anything_! You make a mistake, and you brush it off, ignore it, and keep going along the same path because to change would mean you were fallible! You are both arrogant and irritating, and I have no doubt you would both rather be _right_ and miserable than bend the tiniest bit in order to find happiness." He shook his head. "No wonder you hate each other. No doubt you couldn't stand to be around each other, looking in a mirror all the time."

Regulus reared back as if Gaius had slapped him, and under different circumstances, his obvious - and undignified - shock might have been amusing. He shook his head in vehement denial. "You're wrong!" he exclaimed, curling his hands into fists at his sides. "I'm nothing like Sirius! I can change - I'm adaptable - Severus said so!"

Gaius crossed his arms over his chest, refusing to back down. "You couldn't prove it by me," he retorted. "All I've seen from you is the same thing I've seen from your brother for the last hundred years. Oh, you both have your charm, which is no doubt why someone hasn't slipped a knife between your ribs, but I'm beginning to see that I may have made a terrible mistake. I could have sworn you were different, that anyone with those eyes couldn't help but be special. I thought so from the moment I saw your portrait, but I was wrong. There's nothing to choose between you and your brother, I think. No doubt it means that this stupid war will keep going until there isn't a vampire or a werewolf left."

"I'm here, aren't I?" Regulus drew himself up proudly, but despite his haughty demeanor, Gaius could see a flash of something - doubt, vulnerability, something uncertain - in his eyes. "I've stayed to help Severus instead of returning home to hunt the werewolves."

"So you have loyalty to Severus, big deal. Sirius had loyalty to James, too." Gaius raised a hand, rubbing at his forehead. "You've made no bones about the fact that when this is over, you _are_ going back to finish what Voldemort and Lucius started. I need to talk to Remus and see if we can figure out a way to break this bond I too hastily undertook. I never would have bound myself to your brother in such a fashion, and given your similarities, I never should have bound myself to you."

"It isn't _my_ fault," Regulus exclaimed, appearing affronted. "You needn't act like you're the injured party when you're the one who forced the bond in the first place." He folded his arms across his chest, scowling. "I am _not_ like Sirius," he insisted, a petulant note in his voice. " _He_ is the one attempting to commit genocide! I only said I wanted to search for survivors rather than chase down Gellert. I said nothing about continuing the war!"

"You've said nothing about stopping it, either, when you were given the choice, and you've made no secret of the fact that you hate werewolves, and you hate me." Gaius hated the way his voice cracked on the last word. "You're right, it's my own fault for undertaking the bond. I thought you were different. I thought you were special. I was wrong."

"Why shouldn't I hate you?" Regulus rounded on him, all but snarling. "You were one of the beasts who slaughtered my kinswoman and everyone with her. I saw what you did to them. It was more than murder. It was vicious and inhumane!"

"I didn't. I was a lookout, I've never killed." Gaius turned away, suddenly weary. "If you knew how hard it was to be a pacifist among the werewolves, you might be less hasty in your judgment of me. Or perhaps not. It doesn't matter. I'm sorry about your loss, for what it's worth, even though she helped perpetuate the war. There's been entirely too much suffering... on both sides."

There was a long silence from behind Gaius, but eventually, Regulus spoke. "Fine," he said stiffly. "I was wrong about you. I - apologize." The words were stilted and spoken with grudging reluctance, but they _were_ spoken.

Gaius whirled, his eyes wide as he stared at Regulus, unable to believe he'd heard correctly. Then he smiled, a tiny, hesitant smile. "Perhaps I was wrong about you, too," he said softly. "Apology accepted. You aren't quite as much like your brother as I thought."

Regulus gazed back at him, unsmiling. "I am nothing like my brother," he stated flatly. "I never was, and I never will be."

Gaius shrugged slightly, not wanting to comment and risk inciting another argument. Then there was a sound from the bathroom where Severus and Remus were still sequestered, a cry of ecstasy from a human throat this time, and Gaius couldn't help it; he laughed, struck by the incongruity of their argument while Severus and Remus were shagging like randy teenagers not ten feet away. 

"At least someone is happy," he said, and then he sighed and turned away from Regulus. "Which of these weapons do you want to take? We should load the truck before dawn, just in case we need to make a hasty departure."

Regulus' expression was impassive; his features could have been carved from stone for all the emotion he showed in reaction to the cry or to Gaius' laughter. Without a word, he went to the racks and began selecting an assortment of weaponry, mostly guns, but also some of the pieces that Gaius hadn't recognized. Belatedly, Gaius realized some of the more exotic weapons might have been Regulus' own design. Regulus piled the weapons on a nearby table and took one small but deadly-looking gun for himself, and Gaius thought he saw Regulus caress it briefly before holstering it.

"Dawn is coming," Gaius remarked, moving to Regulus' side. "I can load these in the truck, if you think it might be prudent to, um, get ready."

Regulus glanced sidelong at him and nodded tersely before stepping out of the way. Pivoting sharply, he stalked off to the nearest bedroom, his retreating back stiff and radiating tension.

Sighing, Gaius picked up a handful of the weapons and turned toward the truck. One step forward, six steps back seemed to be the order of things with Regulus. At least he had made some progress, or at least he thought it might be progress. It was hard to say, and he didn't know what part of his reaction was wishful thinking.

Still, once the sun rose, he would go into the bedroom and see if what Remus said about vampires liking warmth was true in Regulus' case. Assuming, of course, that Mr. Bad-Ass Weapons Expert hadn't booby-trapped the bed in order to blow Gaius to that great library in the sky. Given how things were going, he gave it a fifty-fifty chance.

* * *

Normally, Regulus was a quick riser. When his internal clock alerted him that the sun had set, he was awake and alert, ready to get to work and make the most of his night. Normally, however, he didn't wake up with something warm and solid snuggled against his back, making the bed a cozy nest. He hadn't woken up with someone else in his bed since he and Severus had gone their separate ways; Severus often teased him about sleeping cozied up to his guns, and while he didn't go _that_ far, he had to admit the most tactile relationship he'd had in decades was with the weapons he handled.

With his mind still muzzy as he came out of the comatose sleep common to vampires, he couldn't quite remember what the source of the warmth could be or how it got there. As he rose another few levels of wakefulness, he realized the warmth was body-shaped; it took only a few more moments after that for him to realize whom the body must belong to. Severus was as cold as he was himself, and he doubted Remus had somehow wandered into the wrong bedroom and mistaken him for Severus.

That left only the werewolf.

To his own surprise, he didn't immediately leap out of bed like someone had lit a fire under him. He couldn't remember the last time he'd felt so warm, and it was making him drowsy and a little lazy, not inclined to move and give up the heat source, even though it meant remaining in close proximity to the werewolf. He'd never had a mortal lover, and he certainly never been this close to a werewolf before, thus he hadn't felt warm since he'd left his mortal life behind; he'd almost forgotten how it felt, having become so accustomed to the perpetual chill of the grave that clung to every vampire. Their body temperature was lower than that of a mortal's, and he vaguely recalled hearing that the body temperature of a werewolf was higher than that of a mortal's, so together, they apparently evened each other out.

It wasn't just the warmth that made Regulus reluctant to move, although he refused to acknowledge any reason other than that, even to himself. He was _not_ lonely, and he was _not_ feeling adrift. Even if he was, he thought stubbornly, he wasn't about to take refuge in the arms of a werewolf because of it.

The body against his back moved, and then there was a soft sigh before an arm was thrown over Regulus' waist. The werewolf snuggled closer, apparently still deeply asleep. Regulus frowned, not liking the pull he felt from the damned bond in response; it was bad enough that the bond forced him to remain with the werewolf all the time without making him feel drawn to the werewolf as well. It was a temporary weakness, he told himself. As soon as things settled down and he regained his equilibrium, he wouldn't feel these things, and he could ignore the bond more easily.

That assumed he survived Severus' quest, and part of him wondered if it might be better if he didn't. Leaving aside the fact that he'd lost his home and all of his belongings - along with everything else comfortable and familiar in his life - he had no idea what he would do in the brave, new world the others wanted to create. He'd spent his entire undead existence designing and manufacturing weapons, but if there was no war, no enemy, no reason to fight, then his job - the one thing he knew how to do and could do brilliantly - was obsolete. _He_ would be obsolete. He couldn't see where he would fit in, which left him with a distinct lack of enthusiasm for the future his companions seemed so eager to carve out for themselves.

It wasn't even that he wanted the war to continue just so he would have something to do. He didn't. After listening to the others, especially Severus, he was angry over having been deceived and manipulated for so long, and like Severus, he didn't want to do anything that would further Voldemort's plans posthumously, if only out of sheer spite. The problem was that he had been molded and trained well - _too_ well - and it left him ill-suited for any situation that didn't call for death and destruction.

With a quiet sigh, he rolled out of bed at last, awake enough now that his mind wouldn't be quiet and let him rest any longer.

There was a murmur of protest, and then a gasp. The lycanthrope moved, on his feet almost as soon as Regulus was, his cheeks flushed a bright pink. "Sorry, I.. um, meant to be up before you were," he stammered. He offered a hesitant, almost sheepish smile. "I'll just take a quick shower myself before we go."

"So you aren't apologizing for encroaching on my space, but for getting caught at it," Regulus said, fixing him with a stony look. "What were you doing in my bed to begin with?"

"I, um... _needed_ to be close to you," the werewolf replied, dropping his gaze in embarrassment. "The bond, I suspect. I couldn't sleep in the other room. I came in, and you just seemed so cold, I thought... I thought it might help you. To be warm, I mean."

"I'm a vampire. I'm always cold," Regulus replied, a sardonic note in his voice. He folded his arms, regarding the werewolf with careful neutrality as he remembered the argument of the night before. "I thought you wanted nothing to do with me or the bond any longer," he said.

The werewolf was silent for a few moments, then he smiled pensively. "I didn't, when I thought you really were like your brother," he replied quietly. "Sirius pursued me, for a while, but I knew we would never work out. But you apologized, and I knew you weren't like him after all. Which means perhaps I've not wasted as many years as I thought."

"What are you talking about?" Regulus demanded. He vaguely remembered the werewolf mentioning something about a portrait the night before, but he had been too angry over being compared to his brother to follow up at the time. "Wasted years doing what? And what was that you said about a portrait?"

Again the werewolf's cheeks flushed. "It's stupid, I suppose. Sirius keeps only one thing from his mortal life - a portrait. It's of a young man with long, curling black hair and the most beautiful eyes I've ever seen. I saw it and asked who it was. Sirius told me it was of his brother, and he kept it as a reminder. I was haunted by those eyes. I thought the young man in the portrait must be very special, with eyes like that."

Regulus stared at him, uncertain how to respond for a moment - and he was started to dislike how often he'd felt uncertain because of the werewolf lately - and he thought about what Severus had said in the truck the night before. He'd never imagined he would be the object of a werewolf's crush; he wasn't unaware of his own physical appeal, and he didn't suffer from undue modesty, but werewolves had always been firmly relegated to the category of "it might as well be bestiality" in his mind.

Then there was the fact that apparently his brother, whom he assumed would cheerfully eradicate all signs of his presence from the earth, kept a portrait of him as a reminder. A reminder of what? he wondered. Knowing Sirius, though, he probably used it as a way to hone his anger and bitterness over being passed over by their parents and Bellatrix in favor of Regulus.

"I am not whatever dream lover you've built me up to be in your apparently vivid imagination," Regulus said at last. "Forget your fantasies. I will never live up to whatever romantic expectations you've concocted for your dream lover, and you will be even more bitterly disappointed than you already have been."

The werewolf flinched as though Regulus had slapped him, staring at him for a moment with dark eyes full of hurt. Then he dropped his gaze. "Don't worry," he said, edging around Regulus toward the door of the room, looking eager to escape Regulus' presence. "I already know you will never live up to what I expected of you. You've proven that well enough. I won't bother you any longer."

Regulus growled, not knowing what to do any longer and angry with himself for caring that the damned mutt looked like Regulus had just thwapped him with a rolled-up newspaper. "What do you want from me?" he demanded, pushing his fingers through his hair, ready to yank it out in pure frustration. "What the hell did you expect? That I would take one look at you and swoon in your arms, ready to overcome centuries of animosity?" He thought about what they had heard from the second bathroom the night before and scowled. "Don't use those two lust-crazed idiots as a measuring stick. Severus met Remus _before_ he became a werewolf, not after, and neither of them had built up any ridiculous fantasies about each other either." He braced his fists on his hips and glared. "I don't know what image of me you created in your mind, but _this_ is the reality," he said, waving one hand up and down the length of his body. "I know how to create weapons, and I know how to fight. That's it. Work and death. That is me and my entire life in a nutshell. Do you know how many lovers I've had? Two. One was killed, and the other got bored with me. Hardly the stuff of romantic dreams!"

The werewolf stopped in his tracks, apparently listening to what Regulus was saying but not looking up at him, seeming to quiver where he stood with the effort of not bolting for the door. It was only when Regulus stopped that the dark eyes were lifted to him again. "What do I want from you?" he asked softly. "A chance. For you to see me as Gaius the man, not just a werewolf and an enemy." He paused, exhaling on a weary sigh. "I don't know what I expected, really. There was just something in your eyes in that painting that touched me, and when we met in person, I could see it hadn't been the artist's fancy; it was there in reality. It made me want to reach out to you, to... protect you. I have no idea why I thought you might welcome having someone care about you, but then, I really am a fanciful, romantic idiot. The boy in that picture died a long time ago, didn't he? He became a vampire who never looked beyond what he was told to be to find out what he might have become."

Regulus took an involuntarily step backward, feeling as if he'd been struck. The werewolf's words echoed things Severus had said, and if he was honest with himself, they struck a little too close to home. He _had_ thrown himself into his work and focused his time and energy on his "toys", not questioning why, not expanding his personal horizons. He had once thought his life was quite satisfying, thought that he was doing something useful, but now it all seemed empty and pointless. He'd wasted centuries creating weapons to fuel a war that never should have begun in the first place, and his illusions of doing well, of doing something that _mattered_ had turned to dust.

It was a hard thing to lose everything in one fell swoop, he thought, and even harder to realize his life's work had been nothing but a waste of time on top of it.

"Yes," he said at last, slumping with weary resignation. "That's exactly what happened."

The werewolf took a step closer. "It's not too late to change," he said, giving Regulus a pensive look as though he expected to get another verbal lashing. "The advantage of being immortal is that there is always time. Time to regroup and go in another direction, if you'd like. Time to find happiness. To find yourself."

Regulus sank down on the end of the bed and buried his head in his hands. As little as he liked to admit it, the werewolf had a point, and if ever Regulus was going to change the direction of his life, this was the time to do it. As he saw it, he had three options. He could go back home, round up the survivors - if there were any - and pick up where they had left off, try to finish off the werewolves before the werewolves could finish them. If he was lucky, he might even get the satisfaction of seeing Sirius dead at last.

Or he could leave his old life, old ways of doing things, old mindset - everything familiar, comfortable, and simple - behind, help find Godric and Gellert, and, assuming he wasn't eviscerated by Gellert, start over somewhere else without war and conflict. It would be the most difficult thing he'd ever done, even harder than adapting to life as a vampire because at least then, he'd had a clear purpose and lots of allies to help him along. Here and now, he had a grumpy vampire, a hybrid he'd only just met who was completely wrapped up in the grumpy vampire, and a besotted werewolf who couldn't even tell a six shooter from a semi-automatic.

Or he could give up entirely. Accept that his life was empty, futile, and meaningless and put an end to his pointless existence. In a way, it was a tempting option. Going back was becoming less appealing, but change of the magnitude he faced was terrifying, and he didn't know if he was capable of it. Severus obviously was, but Severus was different. Then again, Regulus was a fighter, and this was a battle of a different kind, one he couldn't bring himself to lose just yet.

"I don't even know where to begin," he said at last. "My entire life has been destroyed and the earth it stood on was salted for good measure. How can I rebuild from that?"

The werewolf looked at him somberly, raising a tentative hand as though he would have liked to touch Regulus, but then he let his arm fall back to his side. "One day at a time - or, rather, one night at a time," the werewolf said quietly. "We know what we have to do for now, and I'm sure that, from there, the next option will present itself. Building is harder than destroying, it's true, but you don't have to do it alone. Not unless you _want_ to be alone."

"I've never been truly on my own," Regulus replied. "If I were mortal, I might be able to manage it, but as a vampire and one being hunted at that? There are too many dangers, and all of my really good toys were in the mansion," he added morosely, mourning the loss of his favorite weapons anew.

There was silence for a moment, then the werewolf spoke again. "As I said, you don't have to be alone. I'm sure Remus and Severus would be glad to have you along with them. They seem determined to survive no matter what it takes."

"They also seem determined to have sex as often as possible," Regulus muttered, scowling again. In a louder voice, he added, "Yes, I've noticed. It seems I have three options to choose from, and tagging along with them is the best of the lot. It beats out returning home to be torn apart by werewolves or walking out into the sunlight by a narrow margin."

"Thank goodness for that," the werewolf replied in a dry tone. "I'm going to see if there is anything else we need from this place before we go, since we can't necessarily count on it being here when we get back, if the place gets discovered by survivors from either side. If there are any secret vampire stashes of other useful things not obvious to the naked eye, you might want to retrieve them now. We need to hurry if we're going to make it to Godric before sunrise."

"Fine, I'll have a look around after I get dressed," Regulus replied, rising to his feet. He'd worn a pair of lightweight flannel pants and a tee shirt to sleep in, which was perfectly modest, but he preferred being fully dressed if he was going to deal with anyone else. One serious conversation before breakfast was more than enough, and he wanted some armor of the literal and figurative kind. "You might take a hose to the other two and tell them to get their asses in gear as well."

The werewolf looked at him for a moment with an unreadable expression, and then he turned without saying anything and left the room, the door closing softly behind him, leaving Regulus alone with his roiling thoughts, no closer to any sense of resolution or peace than he had been before.


	8. Chapter 8

Severus hadn't wanted to get out of bed at sunset, but he'd somehow managed to force himself to do it. Remus' warmth and the temptation to indulge in more lovemaking had been overwhelming, but he knew that the longer they put off getting to Godric and dealing with Gellert, the more dangerous things would become. He wanted Remus safe, and that meant Gellert must be stopped, and most likely even destroyed; until that happened, he would never be certain that he could keep Remus from harm.

They'd managed to get everything useful from the safe-house loaded up in the truck, setting out quickly at Gaius' behest. There was a sense of urgency once they were back on the road and exposed to danger once again, and Severus had kept a watch on the sky as he drove, not wanting to be caught out by Gellert again. Regulus and Gaius were in the back of the truck, while Remus rode up front with him, a fact which Severus wasn't going to compromise on, no matter how much Regulus disliked it. He'd wanted Remus within reach, able to touch him and keep an eye on him until they arrived.

Despite Gaius' thought that it would take most of the night to reach the castle, they arrived not long after midnight. Apparently the werewolf wasn't used to the speed at which vampires tended to drive. But earlier was definitely better in Severus' opinion, and he pulled up at a huge iron gate which blocked the road leading toward the cliffs overlooking the sea, hoping that they hadn't just wasted the time on a wild goose chase.

"So what now? I assume we're at the right place?" he asked, turning around and looking into the rear of the truck. Gaius stood and made his way carefully to the front, peering through the windshield with a frown.

"Yes, this is the right place," he said, pointing at the ornate ironwork in the gate. "See the entwined Gs? Godric Gryffindor, I'm certain of it. All my research pointed to this having been the ancestral home of the Gryffindors. We need to get to the castle."

"Then do what, knock and ask if the ancestor of all immortals would invite us in to tea?" Severus snorted, not quite certain he was ready to believe it could really be this easy.

"Er... or you could ask the big man with the gun pointed at us if we can come in," Gaius replied.

Behind him, Regulus rolled to his feet and moved into position to cover them, weapon drawn, while Remus seemed to take Gaius' suggestion as a good one and leaned out the window to wave to the guard.

"Hi! We're here to see Mr. Gryffindor," he called out cheerfully.

The guard stepped through a door in the gate and approached the truck, his gun never wavering. "Put your hands up where I can see them!" he barked. "And you, vampire in the back! Drop that gun before I put a bullet through your head. Trust me, if you fire on me, you'll be dead before my body hits the ground."

"I suggest we do as he says," Severus said quietly. He didn't like this, but for once it might be better to take the civilized approach rather than trying to force their way in. This was an unknown situation, and no doubt the oldest living human had resources, with traps and guards around his home to guarantee his safety. One didn't tend to survive for centuries by being careless about whom one let in. "Gun down, Regulus. For the moment, we can play this their way."

With that, Severus raised his hands from the steering wheel, palms outward to show his empty hands. Gaius did the same, looking decidedly nervous about having a gun trained on him, and Severus didn't miss the look of mute appeal the werewolf shot Regulus, as though begging him not to do something foolish and get himself killed.

Regulus scowled, obviously displeased, but he slowly knelt and put down his gun, and he lifted both hands in the air as he straightened again.

"We come in peace," Remus said, not seeming at all nervous or worried. He lifted one hand and held up the pendant with the other, making certain the guard got a good look at him. "Would you please tell Mr. Gryffindor we'd like to talk to him about this?"

The guard stopped, his eyes widening as he caught sight of the pendant. He used one hand to activate a walkie-talkie at his shoulder and spoke into it softly but urgently. There was silence for a moment, and then a voice answered, three short words that they could hear clearly. "Let them in."

Obviously the guard didn't like that answer, because he frowned, but after a moment, he gave a terse acknowledgment over the walkie-talkie. He didn't lower the gun, but he did move to one side, entering a code into a keypad.

"Drive straight to the house. No stopping, no veering off the driveway," he said, his tone menacing. "If you do, your truck will be destroyed and you along with it. Understood?" Behind him, the gate opened silently.

"Perfectly," Severus replied. He lowered his hands to the steering wheel and put the truck in gear, directing it slowly through the gate. He glanced in the rearview mirror as they passed, not surprised to see the gate closing immediately in their wake and the guard still pointing his gun at them.

"Damned cheeky for a mortal," he said, giving a snort. "Those are the ones you have to watch out for, though; the ones who know they can die and aren't afraid to do it."

"Well, I think it goes to show it never hurts to try being friendly first," Remus said, a mischievous smile tugging at his lips.

Moving closer to the front of the truck, Regulus looked at Severus and shook his head. "He's completely psychotic."

"He was just doing his job," Remus said reproachfully, glancing back at Regulus. "No need for name-calling."

"I was talking about you!"

"Remus isn't psychotic," Severus replied, although he gave Remus A Look that promised they'd discuss this later. "And it _was_ effective. But let's be careful - _all_ of us, do you understand? We have no idea what we're up against here, and the rules aren't spelled out any longer." He gave Regulus a grim look. "We don't even know if normal weapons will do anything against this man."

"He's not a superbeing," Gaius spoke up. "I mean, he's the oldest living man, but he's not like his sons, at least not according to my research. He simply has a mutation that means he doesn't get ill and ages slowly, if at all. I don't think he's immune to bullets."

"Are you willing to bet your life on that?" Severus asked, curious. This Gaius seemed to know a lot, but he doubted that books held the whole truth, and it was better to not take stupid chances.

"No," Gaius admitted, somewhat sheepishly. "Point taken."

"Do you even have a gun?" Regulus asked abruptly, turning to Gaius with a frown. "And if so, do you know how to fire it?"

"No, I don't have a gun, but I do know how to fire one," Gaius replied. "I'm not a killer by nature, but I will defend myself and those I'm with."

"Great. Not one but two newbies." Regulus rolled his eyes even as he pulled out a spare gun and handed it to Gaius. "Keep this, but don't use it unless you have to. It's better for everyone involved if you just stand back and look pretty. I can kill well enough for the both of us."

Severus didn't miss the look of pleased surprise on Gaius' face, but the werewolf wisely said nothing to call attention to Regulus' comment.

They pulled up at the house and were met by a squad of black-clad men in body armor. They were definitely humans, and they seemed unimpressed by the sudden appearance of two vampires, a werewolf, and a hybrid of the species. Severus didn't doubt for a second that the men knew exactly what they were, for he could see that some of them had guns with the ultraviolet ammunition, and no doubt some of the others had silver bullets. 

"Out," one of the guards ordered, and Severus looked at his companions. 

"No sudden moves, right? Let's just get in to see Gryffindor and get the information we need."

"Right," Gaius said. There was a sudden light in his eyes, almost a passion, and Severus realized that to someone who was a historian, walking in and meeting the man who was, quite literally, the father of all the immortals must be something akin to finding the Holy Grail. He looked at Remus, one corner of his lips twitching. He supposed it was good that one of them thought something positive about the interview to come.

Remus smiled at Severus in that open, guileless way that - thankfully - he hadn't yet lost and nodded as he opened the passenger side door and got out. "Right," he agreed amiably.

"Right," Regulus said tersely as he got out of the back of the truck, moving slowly and carefully to minimize any appearance of a threat. He didn't retrieve the gun he'd put down at the gate, but Severus had no doubt that he had others hidden away if they were needed.

They exited the truck, and the guards quickly surrounded them, leaving no opening through which any of the four could have gotten away without being shot. They were led into the castle, but it was difficult to get much of an impression about the place when they could barely see where they were going due to being surrounded. They were marched up a flight of stairs, then down a corridor, and Severus silently counted steps to himself as they moved, trying to retain as much information as possible in case it became necessary for them to make a sudden departure.

At last, they were led through a set of double doors and into a room. The guards at the front stepped aside, leaving the four of them facing a man who stood in front of a huge window which overlooked the moonlit sea. The man turned around slowly, facing them with blue eyes which were grave but not unkind. He appeared past middle age, with grey hair and a beard which was neatly trimmed to the line of his jaw. He was slender, but somewhat muscular, and he wore what appeared to be tailor-made suit.

"Who are you, and why are you here?" he asked them, raising a brow in inquiry. "And how did you find me?"

"My name is Remus Lupin." Remus stepped forward and held out the pendant so the man could see it clearly. "We're here because of this pendant. We have reason to believe your son Gellert is chasing us in order to take it, and we want to know why."

Severus resisted the urge to throw himself in front of Remus when Godric moved toward him. He held himself in check, watching as Godric stepped closer and looked at the pendant. Then the older man spoke. "I was looking for this; James had it, but when I recovered his body, it was gone. This is very special, you see. It's part of a key. A key that locks away my son Albus in a prison." His eyes traveled to Severus. "A prison built by your father."

Severus reeled back in shock. "My father? What...?" 

Before he could complete the question, an image rose in Severus mind, as suddenly as though the old man's words had been a key as well, unlocking long-repressed memories. His sister, drawing with a bit of chalk on a stone wall, a wall which was part of an underground passageway. Severus could see his own hands, and in them, he held the pendant, its surface not old and worn but new and gleaming even in the low light of the torches. Then his father was coming toward him, smiling. "Ah, that's where it is! Thank you for holding it and keeping it safe, my son."

The vision faded, and Severus almost staggered. "How can that be?" he asked harshly. "My father was a farmer!"

Remus moved to his side and rested one hand at the small of his back, a simple yet comforting gesture. It was obvious from his expression that he had numerous questions, but he seemed content to wait until Godric had answered Severus'. Regulus hovered nearby, glancing back and forth between Severus and Godric with a worried frown, but he didn't speak or make any threatening moves that might interrupt the proceedings. Gaius stayed close to Regulus, frowning as he seemed torn between remaining silent and blurting out one of the million questions that seemed to be burning in his eyes.

Severus unconsciously stepped closer to Remus, his eyes never leaving Godric's face. The old man shook his head gravely. "He had a farm, yes, but he was also an inventor, a tinkerer, one of the most clever men of his age. He was approached by Voldemort to build a cage to hold the most dangerous creature in the world: a werewolf. The _first_ werewolf, my son Albus. Which he did, and my poor, mad Albus was locked away where he could no longer hurt anyone. Gellert protested, but Voldemort wouldn't be swayed. He didn't like the fact that Gellert had a soft spot for his brother, and as long as Albus was free, Voldemort couldn't continue with his plans to subjugate the werewolves, making them the slaves of the vampires rather than their equals."

Reeling from the revelation that somehow his life had been linked to the immortals long before he'd become a vampire, Severus shook his head. "But Voldemort... Lucius told me that he killed my family! Lucius said he did it because he liked a bit of 'sport' with the humans..." Severus' lips twisted bitterly. "Or did Lucius lie as well?"

"Lucius may not have known. Voldemort held many things close from even his own lieutenants, since too much knowledge would give them power he didn't want them to have." Godric looked down at the pendant again, one thumb caressing over it. "Lucius didn't lie about Voldemort killing your family, but the reason was that Voldemort wanted there to be no one left alive who knew the location of Albus' prison. So your family had to die. Only Voldemort couldn't kill you, when it came down to it. Something about you drew him, and he spared your life, but lied to you to make you loyal to him."

Raising a hand to his forehead, Severus rubbed at it, trying to banish the images of his family that rose unbidden to his mind. Not as they were when they were alive, but the sight of their dead bodies, flung away carelessly like discarded dolls. The more he knew about Voldemort, the more he wished he could bring the bastard back so that he could kill him again. A random slaughter was bad enough, but knowing that Voldemort had deliberately targeted his family just because he'd used his father for his abilities was even worse.

Gaius had been silent, but apparently he could remain silent no longer. "What about the second part of the key?" he asked. "The part Voldemort had?"

Godric glanced at Gaius, raising a brow in surprise. "So you know about that? James told you, I assume. I have the second part. I took it out of Voldemort myself. Now I'll have both parts, and I'll keep them safely locked away." The old man looked sad. "I don't agree with Voldemort's reasons, but unfortunately, he was right to lock poor Albus away. The fact that he can never be human again drove him insane, and he can't be allowed free. Gellert wants his brother back, but I have reason to believe that whatever has happened to Gellert may have driven him mad as well."

"You were right," Remus murmured, glancing at Severus with sympathy and concern in his eyes, and he rubbed Severus' back gently in small circles. "Severus thought he was behaving oddly," he said in a louder voice, turning his attention to Godric. "He razed the vampires' mansion and killed everyone he could find. Then he came after us and attacked in public in full view of humans, no less. He seemed crazy to me, but I'd never seen him before." He paused, his expression growing pensive. "There's more. He's probably a hybrid now because he was accidentally awakened with werewolf blood, so he's even stronger than he was before." 

Godric frowned. "This is... unexpected," he said. "And unfortunate. I don't know what I can do about it, though."

Severus suddenly stiffened, his eyes narrowing. "What do you mean, you don't know what you can do?" he asked, his voice harsh. "Why haven't you done anything to keep it from getting to this point? If you knew all this was going on, that Albus was mad, why didn't you stop him yourself instead of letting Voldemort do it? If you'd done something, my family wouldn't have been killed! What in the hell is _wrong_ with you?"

"I love my sons." Godric's blue eyes were sad, and he spread his hands in a helpless gesture. "I would never hurt either of them! It doesn't matter what they've become. I could never bring myself to kill one of them."

"You're as mad as they are," Severus muttered in disgust.

* * *

Remus had listened with growing alarm to the story of Godric and his sons and how Voldemort's lies had affected Severus and his family even more than anyone had suspected. He hoped Severus wasn't too shaken by the revelation, and he wished they had time to sit down and sort through it, but he had no idea when they would get that time, and for now, they needed to stay focused on learning as much as they could from Godric.

He felt as angry as Severus appeared to be over Godric's refusal to intercede despite the danger his passivity had put everyone in - vampire, werewolves, and humans alike. Godric had all but opened the door for Voldemort to step in and manipulate everyone and cause the tragic chain of events that still had repercussions hundreds of years later - and it was all so senseless!

But one thing was clear: with or without Godric's help, they had to keep Gellert from getting the key and setting free his brother. Two mad immortals was more than the world could bear in secret, and it would mean the end of them all once the humans realized they existed and began hunting them down. They would end up dead or as specimens to be studied, and neither prospect appealed to Remus.

"If he won't help, then we'll fight Gellert on our own," he said firmly, turning to Severus and fixing him with a determined look. "We'll make a plan. We'll keep the key safe. I'm sorry for Albus, but the results would be too devastating if he was released."

"It's you, isn't it?" Gaius asked Godric suddenly. "You're the one who's been cleaning up after everything, right? You won't fight your sons or stop them, but you go around trying to keep the mortals from finding out about us! Why don't you just save us all the trouble and get rid of them?"

"I told you, I can't do that!" Godric said, although he had the good grace to look agonized. "Yes, I've been cleaning it up, trying to protect them... trying to protect all of you! In a way, you are all my children, don't you see that?"

"No, I don't!" Severus spat. He was trembling with fury, the way his muscles jumped beneath his skin communicating to Remus the desire he felt to lunge forward and rip Godric's throat out. "You pretend to care, but you really don't! You're just using this as an excuse to not get your own hands dirty. but you have the blood of _thousands_ staining your lily white hands! Your centuries of inaction have let a war go on that has caused more death and destruction than you can imagine, and you have the gall to sit there and say you are trying to _protect_ us? We don't need that kind of protection! What we _need_ is for your psychotic sons to be destroyed!"

Whatever response Godric might have made went unuttered, the argument interrupted by a resounding crash and a shower of glass raining down on them as Gellert himself burst through the window, massive wings creating gusts of air as he soared overhead, sighting his quarry. Remus ducked and covered his head, half-expecting to feel Gellert's claws scoring his back, but to his amazement, Gellert swooped down and headed not for Remus but for Godric.

Remus heard shouted warnings, but Godric didn't move except to stretch out his arms, as if welcoming his son - an embrace for the returning prodigal - and Gellert slammed into him, the blunt force of the impact carrying both across the room until Godric's back hit the wall. Straightening slowly, Remus watched in growing horror as Gellert plunged two long, barbed talons into his father's body, but as soon as the paralysis of shock wore off, Remus pulled out his shotgun and fired at Gellert's broad back. He wasn't alone; he was aware of Godric's men shouting and firing at Gellert, and he could see Severus and Regulus moving in, weapons blazing, as well. Even Gaius got off a couple of inexpert rounds, but none of it seemed to do more than annoy Gellert.

"Stop this, Gellert!" Godric said, his voice strong even though his blood was slowly turning the walls crimson behind him.

"Where is it, Father?" Gellert hissed, his huge, deformed face - more bat than human - only a breath away from his father's. "I want the key. I will set Albus free, and then together he and I will rule the world!"

"This world is for humans; we're only freaks of nature! You cannot control your brother, Gellert!" Godric's tone held pain, an emotional pain that was centuries old. 

"The key!" Gellert demanded, using his long, prehensile tail to smack three of Gellert's men into a wall. Bones cracked and they all fell into a limp heap on the floor. Severus side-stepped the back-sweep with a graceful movement, but the rest of Gellert's men weren't so lucky; the barbed tip of Gellert's tail decapitated one, and the others were slammed into the opposite wall with results equally as devastating as what had been done to their peers. Which left only two vampires, a werewolf, and Remus standing, firing with little effect into Gellert's broad back.

Godric's eyes must have moved, giving something away, for suddenly Gellert released him, leaping across the room in a single bound to a case full of swords and other weaponry. As Godric slumped to the floor, still bleeding, Gellert yanked open the case and gave a roar of satisfaction as he spotted what he was looking for: a round, gleaming golden circle with an indentation in the middle - an indentation the same shape as the pendant Remus wore.

"Get back!" Severus hissed, looking at Remus as he stepped forward to keep himself between Remus and the other hybrid. "He's not going to get you!"

Nodding, Remus skittered backward, trying to put as much distance between himself and Gellert as possible, and he lifted the shotgun again, ready to defend himself if he had to. Gellert was strong and powerful, but he wasn't invincible; enough firepower ought to bring him down... eventually... Remus hoped.

Regulus moved swiftly to Severus' side, a gun in each hand as he faced Gellert. "I wish I had some grenades," he muttered darkly.

"So do I," Severus answered grimly as Gellert turned from the case and faced them.

"Now for the rest of what I want," Gellert shouted, stepping toward them with his claws extended. "But first, I'll deal with the unnecessaries." His eyes moved to Regulus, and he bared his fangs. "You were almost useful once, Regulus, but I'm afraid your time is up!" With that, his tail came up over his head, the barb pointed directly at Regulus; then it swept downward.

"NO!" A shout was ripped from Gaius' throat, ending in a howl as the werewolf transformed from human into his bestial state. He gathered himself and leapt, catching the barbed tail between his massive jaws just before it got to Regulus. 

Gellert echoed Gaius' howl with one of his own, snapping his tail around in an effort to loosen Gaius from it, but the werewolf clung tenaciously, scrabbling with his arms to get purchase, no doubt to attempt to bring Gellert down. But Gellert was strong, and he whipped his tail around, Gaius dangling from it like a fish on a line, and slammed the werewolf into Regulus, knocking them both into the wall beneath the remnant of the shattered window. When Gellert pulled his tail back, Gaius and Regulus both lay still on the floor.

Severus hadn't turned his attention from Gellert, still firing into him as he deal with their companions. Severus' face was a mask of determination, and he didn't flinch when Gellert stepped forward. "As it happens, Severus, I need you, too; your blood holds the location of Albus' prison."

Then Gellert lunged for Severus, grappling with him as he tried to sink his teeth into Severus' neck. Severus resisted, but Gellert was so much more massive that it was inevitable; Gellert slammed Severus into a wall and sank his fangs into the pale column of Severus' neck, dark red blood gouting from the wound and into Gellert's mouth.

Roaring with fury, Remus lunged toward them, his own transformation upon him; all thoughts of the pendant or their companions fled, superseded by the driving urge to protect Severus. He fired off a last shot and tossed the gun aside when it seemed to do little to deter Gellert, and he dug his clawed fingers into Gellert's back, ripping at his flesh as he tried to yank Gellert away.

Gellert released Severus, roaring with fury as Remus' claws seemed to do some damage. Severus stood against the wall, blood still pouring from his neck, but he brought his arms up again, firing at Gellert in what seemed to be desperation. He pushed himself away from the wall, staggering as he tried to get to Gellert.

Gellert's taloned hands reached behind him as he tried to tear Remus from his back. "This won't help you! I will win!" he roared. 

"The hell you will!" Remus snarled, anger spurring him on. If claws were what it took to bring Gellert down, Remus would use them, and he tore at Gellert's shoulders and neck mercilessly, hoping to hit an artery, even though it was impossible to tell where the damned thing was on Gellert's distorted body; if Gellert was weakened by blood loss, he might be more susceptible to bullets, and Remus intended to claw and bite as long as he had to - as long as he possibly could.

Severus was still reeling, and he tossed away his handgun with a snarl of disgust, opting instead to scoop up one of the automatic weapons that Gellert's guards had used. He set it for full automatic, then tried to get in front of Gellert, no doubt to keep from hitting Remus with any stray bullets. Gellert seemed to sense that he was about to be flanked, and he roared again, his wings fanning out to either side, almost filling the room. His tail lashed out, causing Severus to dodge again, but then he brought it up above his head and stabbed it downward viciously, straight between Remus' shoulders and all the way through his body.

"NO!" Severus screamed, the word full of agony.

A small, startled sound escaped Remus, and he wanted to speak - to say something to Severus - but his voice wouldn't work, or maybe it was his lungs, and there was a fiery pain, far more intense than anything, even James' bite, even being shot with liquid silver bullets; agony washed over him, flooded him, and left darkness in its wake.


	9. Chapter 9

Severus watched in horror as Gellert embedded his tail in Remus' body. Remus arched, then suddenly went limp, and Gellert lifted him away easily, Remus' body dangling from the vicious barb. There was no time for Severus to think; he was the only one standing, and injured though he was, he had to stop Gellert. A vicious scream was torn from his throat, and he fired into Gellert's body, round after round pummeling into Gellert's skin, which was almost as impervious as armor. But the sheer concentrated mass of bullets must have finally begun to chip away at Gellert's flesh, for he shrieked in agony, and Severus finally saw thick, red blood beginning to well from Gellert's chest and abdomen. Gellert lashed his tail around, then finally slammed it down, impaling Remus on a display stand of upright swords, the gleaming metal piercing through Remus' body in half a dozen places. Then he reached out one long arm, snatching the pendant from around Remus' neck, the chain breaking with a loud snap.

"Die, damn you, _die_!" Severus shouted, stepping forward and continuing to fire despite the almost overwhelming desire to drop everything and run to Remus. Gellert only snarled in reply, and then he turned and leapt for the window, drawing his wings in close to his body and snapping them outward as soon as he'd cleared the sill. Severus followed, still firing, but it was pointless. Gellert's wings swept downward, the gust almost blowing Severus off his feet as Gellert propelled himself higher and higher into the sky, away from the sight of the carnage he'd wrought. Away from Severus and the agony of knowing he'd failed.

Dropping the gun, Severus turned and made his way to Remus, a cold finger of dread running down his spine. He lifted Remus off of the swords and cradled Remus in his arms as his strength finally began to fail, and he slumped down to the floor. 

"No, no... you can't die. You can't die!" he told Remus, shaking Remus slightly, then bending his head to listen for the reassuring beat of Remus' heart. He didn't hear it, and that made him even more frantic. He lifted his arm, tearing at his wrist with his fangs so that blood welled up, and he held it so that the blood dripped into Remus' open mouth. When that had no effect, he moved it over the wounds in Remus' chest, all the while murmuring, _begging_ for Remus to open his eyes, for some miracle to happen and for this all to have been some horrific nightmare. 

"Wake up, wake up... you have to wake up," he repeated in a litany, but somehow he knew it was hopeless, that Remus was gone... lost to him as his family had been.

The realization broke Severus; how could he go on without Remus? He'd lost so much and he'd survived, but he couldn't survive this. Without Remus, what reason was there to go on? He cradled Remus' body against his chest, curling around him protectively, and lowered his head. For the first time in six centuries, Severus wished that he were truly dead. He didn't know how long he sat there, feeling pain and despair worse than anything he'd ever known in his long, long life, when a weak voice spoke.

"It's not too late to stop him," Godric said. The old man was slumped not far from Severus, the carpet around him soaked with blood.

Severus debated ignoring him, wanting nothing more than to be left alone with Remus and his pain, but he was too much of a fighter. At his core was a flame of vengeance that still burned despite all the efforts to quench it, and he lifted his head, looking at Godric, the father of them all, the author of all this pain, with hatred in his gaze.

"This is all your fault." The words held the bitterness of all Severus' centuries of pain. "You could have stopped this. You didn't. Now Remus is dead, and it's all because of _you_."

Godric's face was white, but he nodded, having the grace to look regretful. "You're right. But it still isn't too late. You... you must take my blood. You'll know everything I know. You can stop him. You must stop him, or the mortals are doomed."

Severus stared at him in disbelief. The old man really wanted him to go on after this? He turned to look at Remus, smoothing Remus' matted hair away from his pale face with gentle fingers. He'd never see Remus' eyes again, never see the gentleness in his gaze, the innocence that remained there despite everything Remus had endured in the last few days. He'd never feel Remus' warmth again, never be able to curl himself around it and hold Remus close. He'd lost the sun six hundred years before, but Remus had given it back to him, at least in part. Now he'd lost it again, and all he wanted to do was die.

But first, a part of him said, he had to kill Gellert and Albus.

It was the hardest thing he'd ever had to do, lowering Remus' body to the floor, but he did it, a sob wracking him as he released the one who was more precious to him than his own life. But if he were to die, to follow Remus into the blackness, he needed to know that he'd had his revenge on the one who had killed Remus.

Crawling to Gellert was an effort; Severus had lost plenty of blood as well, and he knew that it would be easy to allow himself to expire. Hell, all he had to do was just sit and wait for the sun to come blazing in through the broken window, and all his pain would fade away in a blaze of light. But he made himself move, each step he took away from Remus' body an agony, until he finally was at Godric's side.

Godric lifted his hands, the manicured nails of one digging into his wrist, ripping the flesh so that his blood welled up, albeit weakly. "Go on, drink... before there is no legacy left."

Severus took Godric's arm, bringing it to his lips. Then he stopped and looked into the old man's eyes. "What will I become?" he asked.

"I have no idea," Godric replied, a trace of amusement in his voice. Severus paused, then lifted the old man's wrist to his mouth, and drank.

When he lifted his head again, the rich, coppery tang of blood filling his mouth, Godric nodded in satisfaction. "Call my men, what are left of them. You can take the helicopter. You might even beat Gellert there, if you're lucky."

"I don't believe in luck, not any more," Severus said hollowly, looking toward Remus' body. "I only believe in death."

"That will have to do, then," Godric replied.

* * *

Regulus crouched in a small space at the back of the helicopter, immersed in the task at hand; even if he'd been inclined to talk, any conversation would have been drowned out by the noise of the chopper, but he wasn't inclined to talk. He had a job to do - something that called for his particular skill set - and limited time in which to do it. Not only were they racing Gellert, they were racing the sun as well; he and Severus were still limited in their movement, but they didn't dare assume that Gellert was bound by the same constraints now that he was a hybrid creature.

He spared a brief glance over at Severus, who sat as pale and still as a statue in his seat, his gaze steadily trained on the body bag at his feet. He hadn't moved since they took off, and he refused to let anyone else touch the bag. Regulus had tried to offer a few halting words of sympathy, but he had no idea of what to say in the face of such overwhelming grief, and he knew whatever he did say wouldn't offer any comfort.

Before all this, Regulus would have scoffed at the idea of anyone, especially Severus, becoming so attached to someone within mere days of meeting them, but that was before he'd found out about the bond between vampires and werewolves. Before he'd gotten caught up in one - well, half of one, at least - himself. Before, he couldn't have imagined Severus grieving so deeply; he couldn't imagine _himself_ grieving so deeply over anyone. Not that he would now, but he could see it happening if the bond between himself and the werewolf was fully formed.

 _Gaius_ , he thought. He supposed he ought to get used to thinking of the werewolf by name, since Gaius had saved his life. He'd been shocked to wake up and see the carnage Gellert had left behind. To some extent, he'd been shocked to wake up, period. It had taken him a few minutes to process that Godric was dead, Remus wad dead, and Gellert had made off with both halves of the pendant plus Severus' memories of the location of Albus' prison. The only good news had been that Severus had an advantage in having Godric's blood in his veins as well as Godric's resources at their disposal.

While Severus conferred with Godric's men, Regulus had played back his memories of the fight, trying to come up with something - anything! - that might help when they confronted Gellert again. Inspiration struck, and he'd quickly made his own arrangements.

"We could try using both UV and liquid silver bullets," he explained to Severus with growing excitement at the possibilities. "Theoretically, his dual nature is what makes him stronger than the rest of us. Harm the vampire side, and the werewolf side is still there, and vice versa. But if you hit _both_ sides with the one thing they're vulnerable to, it might weaken him considerably. If we're lucky, it might even kill him."

To that end, he'd asked Godric's men to round up any ammunition of that type available. As it turned out, there were UV bullets to spare, but they didn't have anything but normal silver bullets; the only liquid silver bullets available were the ones he and Severus had left over, which were far too few for Regulus' liking. He wanted to be certain they could pump Gellert's body full of silver and UV bullets, not worry about whether a missed shot would make the difference between life and death for both them and Gellert.

"Can you make more?" Severus had asked.

If he'd been in his workshop at the mansion, the answer would have been an unequivocal "yes", but limited to what tools he could carry onto the helicopter and with time running out, the answer was "I don't know". He didn't have the type of equipment he needed to make the same type of bullets he'd provided before, but he thought he could tinker with the normal silver bullets to make them more effective. He was a weapons genius, but even geniuses were bound by the laws of time and physics.

While he worked, he thought about Gaius and the bond, and he wondered if Gaius would be practically catatonic like Severus was if he'd died or if the bond wasn't fully formed enough for that. It was odd to think of someone being so attached to him. Odd and unsettling, because Severus was scaring him a little with the way he seemed to have checked out, like he was already dead and just waiting for the chance to fall over.

Then again, Regulus had never seen Severus so connected to anyone or so happy before either. Perhaps to Severus, the trade-off was worth it. Regulus had lived a long time, but he hadn't made strong connections; few of them had, now that he thought about it. They'd all had horrible examples when it came to trust and companionship, and the politics of the clan had made forming attachments dangerous. It was easier and safer to remain aloof, especially when a friend or lover might leave the mansion and never return. Not alive, at least.

Despite the dangers, Regulus had persisted in remaining attached to Severus, a fellow Death Eater. The survival rate among Death Eaters was lower than it was for the rest of the clan, but Regulus hadn't given up Severus' friendship. Did that mean he craved connections? If they survived the encounter with Gellert, things would be different. Safer. Getting close to someone wouldn't be such a risk, and it was obvious, even to him, that he was probably going to lose Severus. If Gellert didn't kill him, Severus would probably self-destruct one way or another afterward.

Would it be so bad, then, to be left with... Gaius? He sneaked a sidelong glance at Gaius.

As though aware of his regard, Gaius glanced up from his contemplation of the gun he held loosely in his lap. He offered a hesitant smile, like a puppy who wasn't quite certain if he were going to be petted or kicked. He seemed to hesitate for a moment, and then he spoke almost shyly. "Is there anything I can do to help?"

Regulus paused, squelching the refusal that rose instinctively to his lips, born of long centuries of solitude and independence; he had always worked alone, handing projects over to his assistants only when he had fine-tuned everything to perfection, and they had known to leave him alone, but perhaps the time for solitude and independence was over.

"Yes," he said at last. "You can help hold things steady and keep my equipment from sliding away."

Gaius looked surprised, but then his eyes seemed to light up, and he hurried to put away the gun he'd been holding. Then he moved to the side opposite Regulus, reaching out to hold on to the tray Regulus was using as a work surface. "Like that?" he asked. "I don't want to mess you up."

"That's fine," Regulus replied with a brief nod before turning his attention back to his work. "Just catch anything that looks like it's about to slide, roll, or fall, and keep your fingers out of the way of the blowtorch."

"Right." Gaius was silent for a time, watching Regulus work, but then he spoke again. "Um... Severus... he's not going to come out of this, is he?"

Regulus didn't answer right away; he didn't want to speak the words aloud and make them real, but he couldn't ignore the question forever. "I doubt it," he said at last, his voice tight. "If he survives Gellert, I won't be surprised if he goes out to see the sun in the morning."

Gaius nodded, then sighed, a sad, weary sound. "I can understand that," he said, then his voice dropped further. "I think I'd do the same thing."

Regulus looked up at him sharply, feeling an odd clench in his stomach at the affirmation of his earlier thoughts. "Knowing that," he said, gazing at Gaius intently and inclining his head in Severus' direction. "Seeing him. Do you still want the bond after this?"

For a moment, Gaius just looked back at him, his eyes somber, but then he smiled. "Yes," he murmured. "I think it's worth it."

"Why?" Regulus shook his head in bewilderment before turning back to his work, not wanting to waste precious time. "I don't understand why you wouldn't be eager to break it, if that's even possible. You see how it can end, and I haven't even been particularly nice to you."

"I believe I've been told I'm entirely too optimistic," Gaius replied. He glanced over at Severus, and his expression softened into sympathy. "I do have hope things might change, as stupid as that might seem to you. And having seen what they had... I've never had anything like that in my life. Even knowing how it could end, I think it would be worth the price. To experience something so deep and profound, with no doubts and utter trust... How many people ever get to do that? Even immortals, with our long lives?"

Regulus inclined his head to acknowledge the point; he couldn't refute it, given his thoughts had strayed along those lines just minutes before. He wondered how different things might have been if Voldemort hadn't begun the war, if vampires and werewolves had remained partners and bonding had become a common part of their lives. 

"It hasn't exactly been deep or profound so far," he pointed out. "Haven't you wondered if you made the right decision?"

"Of course I have," Gaius replied honestly, although a flush of color came to his cheeks. "I admitted to it, didn't I? But you showed me that my faith in you was justified after all. I think... I think you are the right one for me. I just don't know if I - or any werewolf - is the right one for you."

Regulus went still for a moment, realizing he was at a turning point. He could agree and keep the distance between himself and Gaius rather than take the risk of letting himself become attached, or he could take a chance and do something far more scary and dangerous than anything he'd done before in his life. 

"My views on werewolves have changed," he admitted, keeping his eyes on his work as he spoke. "I'm neither stupid nor hidebound. I'm not going to cling to lies when the truth is staring me in the face. As difficult as it's been for me to accept, I realize our kind were never meant to be enemies."

There was no mistaking the hope on Gaius' face, even if he tried to cover it by pretending a sudden, intense interest in what Regulus was doing. "I certainly don't want you to be my enemy," Gaius said, his voice husky. "Quite the opposite."

"I'm aware of that," Regulus replied dryly, glancing at Gaius with a wry smile. "Believe me, I'm not _that_ oblivious." He paused, staring down at the tray without really seeing it for a moment, and then he gave a little shrug. "I don't know yet what I can give you. All I can say at this point is that I don't hate you." He paused again before adding, "And I'm grateful for you saving my life. I owe you for that."

"I was glad to be able to do it," Gaius replied. His smile was beatific. "I'm just glad you don't hate me any more. Anything else... well, hopefully we'll have time."

"That remains to be seen," Regulus said darkly. 

There was no opportunity for further conversation; the pilot was preparing to land, and Regulus hastily finished the last modified bullet. He hadn't been able to make as many as he wanted during the short flight, and they wouldn't be quite as effective as the liquid silver bullets, but they would have to do. He divided most of the silver and UV bullets between himself and Severus, but he set aside a few for Gaius as well, just in case he needed them. 

"Again - keep back," he instructed Gaius sternly. "No heroics, no stupidity. Shoot if you have to, try to kill whatever's coming at you, and don't get yourself hit by friendly fire. No one is expecting you to take any unnecessary risks." 

"Right," Gaius said. Then he reached out, capturing Regulus' hand for a moment and squeezing it. His dark eyes were earnest. "Be careful, all right? Otherwise I'll be joining Severus in crossing over. I'm sure you don't want that on your conscience."

The touch startled Regulus, both because of the warmth and the little tingle of awareness it provoked, but he didn't yank his hand away. "If you join Severus, then I'll already be dead, so it will hardly weigh on my conscience," he pointed out. "Don't worry. I plan to be careful. I don't have a death wish." 

"Good." Gaius smiled, still holding Regulus' hand. There was a sudden mischievous light in his eyes, and he pulled Regulus toward him, demonstrating that werewolves were, indeed, very strong. He pressed his lips to Regulus' in a brief, hard kiss, and then he stepped back. "For luck," he explained, sounding breathless.

Regulus' eyes flew open wide, and he stared at Gaius, his lips tingling as if he'd been given an electric shock; he hadn't expected that, and he hadn't expected to not be repulsed by being kissed by a werewolf. Quickly, he cleared his throat and handed over the bullets. "Here," he said gruffly. "Save these for shooting Gellert. We don't have as many as I'd like, and Albus isn't a hybrid, so plain silver bullets ought to work well enough if he attacks."

"Right," Gaius replied, taking the bullets and tucking them away. The helicopter wavered as it moved over the ruins of what had been a large castle, and Severus suddenly stood.

"There," he said, pointing to a gaping hole in the roof of the center of the main portion of the castle. "We'll rappel down." His voice was flat and emotionless, but it also held a certain amount of grim determination. "I'll take point. Perhaps we can get to Albus before Gellert does."

Regulus stood and moved to stand beside Severus, and he rested one hand lightly on Severus' shoulder. "We'll get Gellert," he said. "One way or another."

He watched and waited by Severus' side as Godric's men prepared the rappelling equipment, wanting to take advantage of every remaining moment with Severus while he could. Their time was running out, and after centuries of assuming Severus would always be there, Regulus found himself loathe to let go. That decision wasn't his, however, and so he focused on the job ahead. He couldn't force Severus to live, and so he would do the next best thing: help Severus kill the monster that had killed Remus.

* * *

Gaius had never rappelled before, but it was over so quickly that he didn't have time to form much of an impression beyond going downward _very_ fast. Then they were standing in the rubble-filled remains of what must have once been a grand room, the remnants of the ceiling arching high above them, showing traces of what must have been gold leaf decoration.

Severus didn't allow any time for sight-seeing, however; he checked his weapons, making sure that the safeties were off and that rounds were chambered before looking at Godric's two men and Gaius. "Stay close, cover our rears, and try not to get killed," he said, before looking at Regulus. "If I'm remembering correctly, we'll be heading down two levels. Watch for signs of Gellert. We weren't exactly silent on approach."

They began to move, Severus leading them toward one side of the big room with a determined stride. Gaius had his doubts that they could possibly have beaten Gellert to the castle, but he said nothing; he was sure he couldn't come up with anything that Regulus or Severus hadn't thought of long before, since they had far more experience at this kind of thing than he did. All he could do was keep his gun out and watch Regulus' back, hoping that if they were attacked, he would be able to keep Regulus from getting hurt.

The castle must have been over a thousand years old, and it had no doubt fallen into ruin not long after Albus was imprisoned there, given the state of decay Gaius could see around him. Severus moved cautiously, checking the stone of the floor before moving forward, and it was a good thing he was, for Gaius saw dark holes in certain areas where the floor had given way and left openings into the darkness below. 

As serious as the situation was, Gaius couldn't help but feel upbeat. It would no doubt end up getting him killed, but he couldn't help it. How could he not think about the things Regulus had said, and the fact that Regulus hadn't seemed to mind Gaius' kiss? He was so caught up in remembering the tingling awareness he'd felt when he'd pressed his lips to Regulus' that he barely registered the fact that they'd moved down a level, into a darker and even more decrepit portion of the castle. It was only when he nearly stumbled into Regulus' back that he realized they'd stopped and that Severus stood at a junction of two passageways.

"Which way?" one of Godric's men asked, and Severus frowned, looking between the two of them uncertainly. Then something caught his eye, and he stepped forward, a flash of pain in his eyes as he reached out to touch a childish looking drawing of the sun. 

Regulus grasped Gaius' arm lightly to steady him when he stumbled, but Regulus' attention was on Severus. "Severus?" he asked, his voice quiet. "What is it?"

Severus traced his fingers lightly over the wavy lines radiating out from the central circle. "Nothing," he said, shaking his head. "Nothing. It's this way. Come on. Not far now."

Gaius was grateful for Regulus catching him, and he offered a brief smile before stepping back. As much as he would have liked to stay there with Regulus touching him, it was too dangerous to distract Regulus, and he sternly told himself to pay better attention as well.

They started forward again, the air of tension seeming to increase with every step. There was a rank, animal smell about the place that offended even Gaius' nose, even though he was accustomed to the smells that went along with living amongst the werewolves. He thought he heard a growl, but before he could open his mouth to shout a warning, _something_ was running up the passageway, something big and furry with glowing yellow eyes and fangs that gleamed in the low light. Severus raised his gun and began to fire, followed by Regulus and Godric's men. Gaius stood back as he'd been told, not wanting to take the chance that he would hit one of his allies by accident. That was how he noticed the movement of air, and he whirled just in time to see Gellert coming up from behind them, neatly trapping them between himself and Albus.

"We're being flanked!" he shouted, lifting his gun and shooting at Gellert. The big hybrid had apparently healed most of his wounds, for he merely sneered by the bullets as though they were only annoyances and continued forward.

Severus glanced back, seeing Gellert, then he looked at Regulus, and Gaius clearly heard his grim words. "We're trapped."

Gaius didn't want to hear that; he wanted to hear the vampires saying that they were winning the fight, that they'd get out of this alive. But no such comfort was forthcoming, and Gaius glanced back, looking at Regulus even as he continued to shoot in Gellert's direction. If he was going to die, he wanted his last sight to be of Regulus.

~*~*~*~*~*~


	10. Chapter 10

Remus sucked in a gasping breath, and his eyes flew open, but everything was dark, too dark for him to see, and he felt confined, as if he'd awakened tangled up in his sheets. But sheets didn't crackle like plastic, and it only took a moment for him to realize he was on the wrong side of a body bag, the residual aches in his torso reminding him why. 

Gellert. 

Snarling, he let anger fuel him, the strength of his emotion evoking another transformation, and he shredded the bag with his claws, gulping fresh air when he was finally free. He looked around and found himself on the floor of a helicopter; he was vaguely aware of the pilot glancing back and letting out a startled obscenity at seeing a dead body sit up and look around, but Remus was far more interested in figuring out where Severus and the others had gone. 

He rose to his feet and peered out the door, seeing they must have reached the location of Albus' prison; without a second thought, he jumped, his coat - Severus' borrowed leather coat - billowing behind him like black wings, and he landed on the roof, pausing to peer into the hole to make sure the coast was clear before jumping into the room below. 

He sniffed the air, catching a whiff of his companions' scents, and he took off running, following his nose in hopes of catching up with the others; he hoped he wasn't too late to help them, especially since he had a little payback to dish out to Gellert, and he desperately hoped he found them alive. The sound of gunfire ahead made him quicken his pace, and he broke into a run, pelting along the corridors at full speed until he rounded a corner and saw Gellert's huge, deformed body looming ahead, blocking the light and the view, but he caught glimpses of Severus and Regulus firing at Gellert. 

He reached into his coat, but the shotgun was gone, and he belatedly remembered throwing it aside when he realized the bullets weren't doing any good. "Damn it," he muttered - or as close a proximation to the words that his transformed snout would allow - frustrated by his lack of weaponry. 

Still, he had his strength, and he bared his teeth in a vicious snarl and launched himself at Gellert, clawing and biting for all he was worth. 

Gellert shrieked, apparently shocked at finding himself under attack from the rear, and Remus caught a brief glimpse of Severus' stunned expression at seeing him mutating in one of fierce triumph. Severus yelled at Regulus and Godric's men to keep firing at Albus, while he himself pressed the attack on Gellert. "We need to drive him back," Severus shouted as he dropped his empty clips and slammed two fresh ones in place.

Gaius backed Severus up, inexpertly but with enthusiasm; under the combination of fire and Remus' claws, Gellert staggered, then tried to dislodge Remus by slamming him into a wall, grunting at the force. But Remus was too furious to be shaken off so easily; growling louder, he wrapped one arm around Gellert's neck, trying to throttle him, and he dug the claws of his free hand into Gellert's chest until his fingers were buried to the first knuckle in Gellert's flesh. If Gellert managed to dislodge him, he'd take a good chunk of Gellert with him. 

"That's it!" Severus' eyes gleamed with blood-lust, and he ran forward, driving Gellert further back along the corridor, out past the area where the path had diverged, then further still. Gellert either didn't realize they were trying to move him into the open, or else he thought that being back in the main room would enable him to fight better, for he turned with Remus still attached and lunged for the stairs, staggering under Remus' weight and the pain Remus was inflicting with his claws. Severus dodged and wove, trying to keep himself with a clear shot of Gellert's chest. 

Meanwhile, Regulus had turned his attention to Albus, seeming intent on holding the crazed werewolf off while Severus and Remus pressed their attack on Gellert. The werewolf was incapable of enacting strategy or tactics, only brutish and frenzied strength, which was both an advantage and a disadvantage. Remus could see one of Godric's men had gone down, his right arm torn off his body, but the other was still standing and firing along with Regulus and Gaius. 

Remus silently wished them luck, but for the time being, he was focused on Gellert and on not letting himself be flung off like a rag doll. It was easier once Gellert had retreated to the more open room, where the walls were farther apart and Gellert couldn't keep trying to scrape Remus off his back. Remus tightened his forearm against Gellert's throat, pressing against the monster's windpipe, and he sank his teeth into the side of Gellert's neck for good measure, biting and tearing, blood-lust rising within him, and for once, he let himself be swept away by it. 

"Yes!" He could hear Severus' voice encouraging him as Severus continued shooting. Then there was a moment of silence as Severus changed magazines again, and Severus went to one knee. "Remus, let him go!" Severus shouted.

It took a moment for the words to sink through Remus' haze of fury, but when they did, he obeyed immediately; he released Gellert and leaped to the floor, and then he gave Gellert a mighty shove to push him closer to Severus and hopefully knock him off-balance as well. 

Jaw clenched, Severus began firing with both guns; from one came rounds that glowed faintly with the violet light of the UV ammo, while the other was silvery. He was using both kinds of ammunition, attempting to bring the big hybrid down by attacking both sides of his nature at once. Severus was careful to aim at the places on Gellert's body where he was already injured, and it was obvious that the force of the attack was finally having some effect, for Gellert staggered and howled. But it wasn't enough. 

"Regulus! I need you _now_!" Severus shouted as he rose back to a standing position. Gellert lunged for him, and Severus jumped, somersaulting over Gellert's head as one of Gellert's talons raked along his side, scoring against Severus' body armor and driving through it deep enough to draw blood. 

Regulus whirled, appearing conflicted as he glanced back at Albus, and Remus could guess that he didn't want to leave a human soldier or Gaius, an inexperienced fighter, at the mercy of an enraged werewolf. Remus dove between Gellert's legs and sprang to his feet. 

"I'll take Albus," he called out as he sprinted toward the other group. "You help Severus!"

Nodding tersely, Regulus paused only long enough to load the silver and UV bullets into his weapons, and then he moved into position, aiming with precision honed over centuries at Gellert's gaping wounds. 

"You won't stop us!" Gellert shrieked, but it was obviously a protest made in vain, for he staggered beneath the dual onslaught two elements poisonous to each side of his nature. He looked toward Albus, reaching out a hand as though silently begging for help, but the werewolf had problems of his own. Gellert's voice weakened, taking on a desperate edge as the continued fire from the two Death Eaters drove him to his knees. "No! No! Albus! Not like this... Albus!"

Severus was obviously unmoved by the piteous cries, for he continued to fire, his face a grim mask of determination. He seemed to be granting all the mercy that Gellert had granted to Remus. 

Gaius looked relieved when Remus showed up. "I've fought other werewolves, but never one like this!" he said, continuing to fire at Albus, dodging the rake of massive claws and the snap of Albus' fangs. "He doesn't seem to understand bullets - a good thing for us!"

"Don't worry," Remus replied grimly as he stalked toward Albus. "I can speak his language." 

Without hesitation, he launched himself at Albus and tackled the werewolf, and they tumbled to the ground in a tangle of snarls and claws; being a hybrid creature gave Remus a slight advantage, but only a slight one. Albus was old and driven by the frenzy of madness and perhaps the anguish of his bond-mate being in danger. As he stared down into the ancient eyes, Remus felt a surge of sympathy, bordering on pity. Albus had been as much a victim and a pawn as the rest of them had, and he didn't deserve this fate, but Remus knew he couldn't be spared either. He was far too dangerous to be let loose, and Remus thought death was far more merciful than an eternity of being locked away and forgotten. 

Then Albus tried to fasten his teeth on Remus' throat, and Remus forgot about feeling sympathetic as his survival instinct kicked in; he growled and snapped at Albus in return as they grappled with all their strength, each struggling to gain ascendancy on the other. 

Gellert saw Remus fighting with Albus, and with a bellow of rage, he tried to break past Severus and Regulus to reach him. The vampires moved to interpose, and the hail of bullets was too much for him to get through. "Stop! Don't hurt him!" Gellert cried out. 

"Right, let the crazy werewolf go," Gaius said. He had stopped firing, apparently for fear of hitting Remus, but he moved to look for a clear shot. "Not a chance!"

Remus wasn't an experienced fighter, but he had sanity on his side, and he deliberately rolled so that Albus was on top of him, and he shouted frantically to Gaius. "Shoot him! Quick!"

Gaius didn't hesitate; shots rang out, with Gaius stepping closer and closer. He aimed for the head and several bullets impacted on Albus' skull, making him shriek and arch in pain. "I'm almost out of ammunition! What do we do now?"

"Just keep shooting!" Remus called back. He could feel Albus' struggles growing weaker, his strength sapped by pain and blood loss, and he began pressing his advantage. Digging his fingers into Albus' forearms, he did the seemingly unthinkable and yanked Albus down; for a moment, they were snout to snout, staring and snarling at each other, but as Gaius kept shooting, the silver finally began to do its work. Remus could see the pain in Albus' eyes, could tell his reflexes were slowing down - and with a fierce growl, Remus lunged up and fastened his teeth on Albus' throat, ignoring the tickle of fur as he sought to rip out whatever he could reach. 

His sharp lupine teeth combined with a vampire's fangs were a potent combination, and he could feel hot blood pouring down his chin, could hear Albus' gurgling attempt to howl in pain, and he kept tearing mercilessly until all noises ceased, and Albus' full weight slumped limply atop him. 

Gellert gave an agonized scream as Albus fell, seeming to sense the life draining from him. He redoubled his mad efforts to get to Albus, but the damage Severus and Regulus had inflicted with the bullets, combined with what Remus had caused, was finally too much. Severus, seeming to sense the weakness, tossed his guns down and leapt for Gellert. The big hybrid's chest was a bloody mess, interspersed with the streaming remnants of UV and silver ammunition, but Severus' face was a mask of murderous intent. With all of his vampiric strength, he plunged his hand into a gaping wound on Gellert's chest, his fingers slicing through flesh and bone with a sickening crunch. Then he pulled his hand back with a savage yank that propelled him back from Gellert, landing on the floor two meters away in a crouch. 

There was shock on Gellert's face as he stared at Severus, who rose to his feet with a cold smile. Severus held up his hand, displaying the pulsing mass of Gellert's heart clenched in his palm. The shock faded as Gellert wavered on his feet, and then he toppled forward, landing with a wet thud on the stone. The heart in Severus' hand pulsed again, then once more before it went still.

Severus threw down the heart and turned away without a backwards glance.

With a labored "uff!", Remus shoved Albus' body off himself and struggled to his feet, bloody and shaky, adrenaline still pumping through his veins, but the haze of fury and blood lust was fading at last. He went to meet Severus, holding out his arms; if he'd been put in a body bag, obviously everyone had assumed he was dead, and he could well imagine what Severus had been through after his presumed demise. 

Severus walked forward, his eyes fixed on Remus' face, and he wrapped his arms around Remus, pulling him close and holding him so tightly Remus could barely breathe. "I thought you were dead," Severus said, his voice rough and husky. "I thought you were dead, and I wanted to die, too."

"I'm not dead," Remus murmured, winding his arms around Severus in return and clinging to him, wanting to reassure Severus that he was still alive, well, and warm. "Apparently, I'm tougher to kill than Gellert realized." 

"I'm glad." Oblivious to the blood covering both of them, Severus captured Remus' lips in a deep, fierce kiss, seeming to need the contact to confirm that Remus was really there, that he wasn't suddenly going to vanish. When Severus pulled back, he stared down into Remus' eyes, and Remus could see the ravages of grief and pain that Severus had kept bottled up. But more than that was the joy in his eyes, a warmth that was for Remus alone. "Don't do that again."

"I didn't want to do it the first time," Remus replied, smiling as he reached up to caress Severus' cheek tenderly. "I'll definitely do my best not to let it happen again. Hopefully, though, this is the last time we'll ever have half-crazed ancient monsters trying to kill us."

"It had better be," Severus said. He didn't release Remus, but he did move his head so that he could look at Regulus. "I don't know of any other ancient things running about, do you?"

Regulus shook his head and swiped at the blood and grime on his face, smiling wearily. "No, thank God. I've had enough of them for another three or four centuries at minimum." 

Gaius came up to stand beside Regulus, frowning in distaste at his own blood-stained clothing. "No others that I'm aware of - or at least not ones associated with vampires and werewolves. Unless you count Vlad Tepes, but if he really was a vampire, he wasn't from our particular bloodline. That doesn't mean there couldn't be others, I suppose, but..." he caught a look from Severus, and his eyes widened. "What? You asked!"

Remus laughed and gave Severus a little squeeze before stepping away, but only just enough that he could stand by Severus' side, one arm still around his waist. "You can give us the full lecture later, professor," he said, teasing Gaius. "Actually, I think a history lesson or two would be a good idea. I need to learn everything I can about this new world of mine, and I think you two-" He glanced back and forth between Severus and Regulus, "-could stand to learn the unexpurgated version of your own history." 

"But where do we go?" Gaius asked, frowning thoughtfully.

The one surviving member of Godric's team who was still with them stepped forward, looking grave. "I think I can help with that. There is only one heir to Gryffindor now." He pointed at Severus. "You. You have his blood, so by right, you are entitled to all that he left. We - well, those of us who remain - were sworn to his service, but I imagine many would stay in yours, now. We all have seen too much to go back to a normal life."

Severus paused, seeming to consider that, and then he looked at the others, his gaze settling finally on Remus. "Well, what do you think? I don't hear any better offers at the moment."

Remus smiled up at him and gave him a warm squeeze. "I don't think we'll get any offers better than that," he replied. "I've probably lost my job by now, and my family..." He sighed quietly, his smile turning rueful. "I suppose it's best if they think I'm dead, and I'm sure we can arrange that with all of Godric's resources. I don't have anything to go back to, really. That life is over, and I can't imagine going back to it and trying to fit in and be normal again. I'd rather start over with you and see where life takes me from here." 

A small, pleased smile curved Severus' lips. "I'm glad to hear that." He looked up at Regulus and Gaius. "What about you two? You should at least come back to clean up and change clothes, not to mention it will be sunrise soon." Severus' eyes were warm as they rested on Regulus. "You did well, my friend. I hope that actually surviving the experience has helped your attitude about the future somewhat."

Regulus inclined his head slightly. "Thank you, I did my best," he replied. He glanced down briefly before lifting his gaze to meet Severus' again. "To be honest, I'm still ambivalent about the future, but I'm beginning to question whether I ought to return home or not. If Gellert destroyed the mansion as thoroughly as you said he did, then there probably isn't much left for me to find, especially if the werewolves have been busy. I certainly don't fancy trying to start over back there alone. Perhaps it would be best if I let it go and started over elsewhere."

There was a hopeful look on Gaius' face at Regulus' words, but he didn't say anything about Regulus' plans. Instead he smiled rather hesitantly. "If the invitation extends to me, I'd be glad to come back with you. No doubt Godric had a great many books and items of historical interest. It would be interesting to see what he had collected over so long a life."

Severus inclined his head and looked at Remus again. "What do you think? Mind having another werewolf around?"

"Not at all," Remus said without hesitation, and he grinned at Gaius, feeling lighter and more hopeful now that it seemed all the obstacles in their path to peace were gone at last; as far as he was concerned, a lack of mortal peril was a most welcome change. "You're welcome to join us, professor. I've got a lot of questions that I'm sure you'll be able to answer, and I'd like to have someone around to help me balance out my two halves."

A look of relief crossed Gaius' face. "Thanks. I'll be more than happy to tell you everything you want to know. It's what I've hoped to do for years: tell everyone the truth of our history."

"If we're all agreed, then, let's go," Severus said. He glanced at Godric's man. "If you can call back the helicopter, we can return to the castle. From there, we'll figure that out when the time comes."

"Yes, sir," the man replied, giving Severus a salute before retrieving a walkie-talkie from a pocket. Severus wrapped his arm around Remus' shoulders, holding him close. 

"I just want to hold you close and rest for about a million years. After that, I suppose the world is wide open."

Remus turned toward Severus and rested his hand on Severus' chest, gazing up at him without holding anything back. "That sounds perfect," he said softly. "I've been looking forward to having time for us to rest and relax and get to know each other even better without anyone chasing us or trying to kill us. I'm glad we're both here to enjoy it."

The whirring of the helicopter blades was audible above them, and Severus smiled. "So am I. Believe me, so am I."

* * *

The seat of a noisy, crowded helicopter was hardly the most private or romantic venue in the world, but as he sat with one arm around Remus' shoulders and his free hand clasping one of Remus' hands tightly, Severus couldn't bring himself to care. The hollow feeling of despair which had accompanied him to Albus' prison was left behind there, overcome by the simple, unbelievable fact that Remus was alive. After having thought his lover lost to him and having prepared himself to die, Severus could hardly believe that Remus was here by his side, alive and well, and they were actually going to create a life for themselves without the spectres of the past haunting them.

Severus felt no need to speak, at least for the moment; it was enough to have Remus there with him, and he'd prefer privacy anyway before he told Remus how he felt. So the trip passed in silence, but it wasn't the cold, empty silence of the previous trip. All he had to do was look into Remus' eyes to experience anew all the things he had been afraid he'd never feel again.

The sky in the east was just beginning to lighten as the helicopter landed back on the pad at Godric's castle. Severus glanced toward the stone edifice, not surprised to see that the window Gellert had broken out had already been boarded up, no doubt by Godric's efficient staff, not all of whom were soldiers. He'd barely had time or interest before to register just how elaborate Godric's set-up seemed to be, but no doubt he'd learn soon enough, if it was true that he was considered Godric's heir by right of having consumed his blood. Even now he could feel the man's memories stirring within him, and there were a lot of them. A milennia's worth; it would probably take that long to sort them all out. No wonder the vampire elders had gone only a century before switching off.

Still holding Remus' hand, unwilling to lose the contact, Severus left the helicopter, surprised to see a small gathering of people assembled to meet him. They all wore grave expressions, and it occurred to him that the victory he, Remus, Regulus, and Gaius had shared had occurred at the expense of the man to whom these people owed fealty. As someone who had spent six centuries being loyal to a single person, Severus could well understand the solemnity they showed and the traces of grief he saw on some faces. He wasn't certain what to do, but before he could figure out if he should say something or simply pass by, one of the guards stepped forward. 

"We have captured an intruder on the castle grounds, sir. A werewolf," the man said. His eyes slid to Regulus before returning back to Severus. "He claims to be looking for his brother. What should we do with him?"

It was obvious the men here were used to leadership, and they were looking for it now, but in this case, it wasn't Severus' place to make a decision, if, indeed, it was Sirius Black who had been found. Severus turned to look at Regulus. "I believe that would be up to Regulus," he said, raising a brow at his friend. "I can't think of anyone else else here who has a brother who is a werewolf, can you?"

Regulus' startled look shifted quickly into careful neutrality, and he nodded. "Right. I'll take care of it," he said, his voice low and tight, and Severus knew that saying the encounter was going to be difficult was an understatement of tremendous proportions. "Take me to him," Regulus requested, speaking to the guard who had stepped forward.

Gaius stepped up beside Regulus. "Do you mind if I come with you?" he asked softly. "Perhaps I can help."

Regulus glanced sidelong at Gaius and shook his head. "You know him better than I do," he said. "No doubt, I'll need all the help I can get. If he's followed us all this way, I doubt he wants tea and pleasant conversation."

"Right," Gaius agreed with a sigh. He looked back at Severus and Remus. "We'll be back soon. I hope."

"Good luck," Severus said, putting a hand on Regulus' shoulder and giving it a brief squeeze of support. He watched as the two of them were led into the castle, wondering what the outcome would be for his friend and for the werewolf who seemed determined to stick by his side.

"Any other orders, sir?" the guard asked, and Severus looked at him consideringly.

"You... all of you," he said, gesturing at the remaining men still standing before him, "recognize me as your leader because I was given Godric's blood?"

The men glanced at each other, and then there were nods and a scattering of low-voiced "yes"es. Severus had never considered himself a leader, and he didn't really fancy being one after so long, but he thought he saw a way to make the situation palatable.

"I may have consumed Godric's blood, but there is a man here who is _of_ Godric's blood - a descendant of his mortal son, Aberforth," Severus said. He lifted Remus' hand. "This man is the rightful heir, not me. Would you follow him instead?"

Surprise was evident among the men, and they murmured to each other. After a few moments, one of them stepped forward. "Yes, we will," he said. "Especially since with the two of you together, we will have his mortal legacy and his immortal legacy."

"It's decided then," Severus said, feeling satisfied with this outcome. He looked at Remus. "We should pay our respects to your ancestor, don't you think?"

* * *

"Wait, wait, wait!" Remus shook his head, lifting both hands to call a halt to the proceedings until he could be sure he'd heard what he thought he heard. "What do you mean, follow _me_ instead? Did I volunteer to be the leader in my sleep or something?"

A small smile curved Severus' lips despite the seriousness of the conversation. "It makes sense. If we are going to end the conflict and bring vampires and werewolves together, then you are the perfect one to do it. You are a hybrid with aspects of both. You are young, without the jaded cynicism and prejudices of centuries, or the bitter grudges that linger from having lost friends to the war. You are also a doctor, a healer. You understand how to fix things, correct? You would have had to lead nurses and other doctors, too, so this is not too terribly different. You'll just be healing a different kind of wound."

Remus stared at him, wanting to refuse the tremendous responsibility that Severus was handing off to him; he was _not_ a leader by nature, and the thought of trying to bring together two factions that had been at odds for so long was daunting. He wasn't at all certain he was up to the task despite Severus' apparent confidence. On the other hand, Severus did have a point about his lack of bias for or against either side, but would that be enough to make him a decent leader?

He sighed and raked his fingers through his hair, glancing at Severus with a wry smile. "I can't really think of a good argument that doesn't boil down to 'I think I'll suck, and I don't wanna', so I guess I'll give it a try."

"I can be the power behind the throne," Severus replied, giving Remus a heated look. Then he pulled Remus close, holding him tightly. "You'll do fine. You... care. If you could care about someone like me, then it will make a difference."

Wrapping his arms around Severus' neck, Remus mustered a smile. "I hope it's enough. I've never seen myself as a leader, and this is a difficult situation. I hope I don't let you - or anyone else - down."

"Look at it this way," Severus said, pulling Remus closer. "We've been at war for hundreds of years, we hate each other with a visceral passion because of the lies of one man, and we've invented horrible weapons to try to wipe each other off the face of the earth. Do you really think you could make that _worse_?"

"When you put it that way..." Remus laughed softly, although he still didn't feel terribly confident. "All right, all right. I'll do my best. At least I'm relatively sure that I won't be a worse leader than Voldemort or Gellert."

"That's the spirit," Severus said, giving Remus a hard, brief kiss. "Shall we go bid farewell to Godric, then? And after that, we can start on that new life. I think I promised you one, didn't I?"

"Yes, you did," Remus replied, giving him a reproachful look. "But I thought it was going to involve less responsibility, problem-solving, and potential danger than this." 

He released a long breath, trying to wrap his mind around yet another unexpected new situation, but there were things higher on the 'need to be sorted out' list; sometimes, it was difficult to remember scarcely a week had passed since he'd been bitten, and he still hadn't had any down time to deal with everything that had happened. He'd just gone from one danger, one obstacle to the next with scarcely any time to breathe, much less think. He supposed this was just another adjustment he'd have to make when it came to the strange new life he'd been thrown into. _Sink or swim_ , he thought with a distinct lack of enthusiasm. 

Outwardly, he drew himself up and squared his shoulders, feeling the weight of responsibility settling on them already. If he was going to be a leader, then it wouldn't do to make Godric's men doubt their decision to follow him in the first five minutes; no doubt they'd have plenty of time for second thoughts later. 

"Right, then," he said, releasing Severus and stepping back. "Let's go." 

Severus took his hand, twining their fingers and pressing their palms together. "I'm here for you, don't forget that. We're in this together, no matter what. I-" 

The silence was abrupt, and Remus saw Severus' eyes widen. He turned his head, looking off to the east, where the first golden fingers of sunlight were breaking over the mountains. But Severus wasn't running for cover, and he didn't look frightened by the approach of dawn. Instead his dark eyes were full of a mixture of surprise and wonder, almost anticipation. A ray of light suddenly seemed to stab forth, catching Severus full in the face. His pale skin flushed, and he clutched Remus' hand more tightly, but nothing happened; no bubbling and sloughing of flesh or turning to ash. There was only Severus, standing in the sunlight as he hadn't done for six centuries.

Turning to Remus, he smiled. "It's warm," he murmured. 

Remus watched in amazement, scarcely able to believe what he was seeing. "What happened? Is this because you drank Godric's blood?"

"It must be. He said I would be changed, but I'm not certain even he knew how," Severus replied. "I felt the sun coming, but it wasn't like it's been since I became a vampire. There was no dread. It felt... right, somehow."

"I'm happy for you," Remus said, smiling. "It seems something good has come out of all this after all." He paused, regarding Severus questioningly. "Are you even a vampire any longer, or did you regain your humanity?"

Severus blinked, then bared his fangs. "I don't think the change was that profound," he replied. Stepping closer, he leaned down to murmur in Remus' ear. "Do you still desire me if I'm a hybrid? Or does the billowy coat lose its appeal if I can go out in the sun?"

"I don't think sunlight will diminish the billowy coat's inherent bad-assness at all," Remus said, giving Severus' hand a squeeze. "I'll desire you no matter what you are or what you become... although I _am_ curious about what other changes might have occurred."

Severus smiled, a predatory expression that hadn't changed a bit no matter what other things might have altered. "Let's go inside, and you can explore to your heart's content," he purred. "I know you will do a most thorough examination, doctor. I put myself completely in your very warm, capable hands."

"Later," Remus said, wagging one finger admonishingly at him. "We have to pay our respects to Godric, and I need to find out how many men and what sort of resources we have at our disposal. We should probably wait to find out how things went with Sirius, too. Whether he cooperates or not is going to determine our next move." 

"Oh, very well," Severus said. He tugged on Remus' hand, pulling him toward the castle. "Let's get started then. The sooner we do, the sooner it will be done and we can be alone."

Remus nodded and followed along, his thoughts preoccupied with a growing list of questions and things that needed to be done. For all the obstacles they had overcome, he suspected the longest battle was still ahead.

-End of Book Two-

~*~*~*~*~*~


End file.
